U.S. Military Strikes Target Drug Ship

On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that the U.S. military executed its tenth attack on a ship believed to be involved in drug trafficking, resulting in the death of six individuals. This brings the total fatalities linked to the anti-drug cartel operation to at least 46.

In a social media update, Hegseth mentioned that the vessel was run by the Torren de Aragua gang and that the operation took place in the Caribbean.

The frequency of these strikes has notably increased recently. Initially carried out every few weeks since their start in September, the military is now conducting about three attacks each week.

In a 20-second black-and-white video shared online, viewers can see a small boat floating on the water just before a projectile strikes, leading to an explosion. The footage cuts off before the explosion dissipates, leaving the remains of the boat hidden from sight.

This week, two additional airstrikes occurred in the eastern Pacific, marking an expansion of the military’s operational zone.

Hegseth emphasized in his social media post that this airstrike was conducted in international waters and highlighted it as the first nighttime operation of its kind.

He remarked, “If you were a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we would treat you the same way we treat al-Qaeda. Day and night, we map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.”