Late Saturday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that U.S. forces had targeted a drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. This action follows a series of similar operations in the area recently.
“Today, under President Trump’s orders, the Department of the Army executed a lethal strike on a drug-trafficking ship linked to a designated terrorist organization (DTO) in the Caribbean,” Hegseth stated in a post on social platform X.
He added, “Three male narco-terrorists were aboard during the operation, which occurred in international waters. All three were killed, and thankfully, no U.S. personnel were harmed.”
This attack marks the latest in ongoing U.S. military operations aimed at combating drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
Since early September, the Trump administration has instructed the Pentagon to carry out airstrikes against suspected drug smuggling operations, resulting in over 64 fatalities in international waters, with additional strikes also conducted in the Eastern Pacific.
There’s notable opposition to these efforts among many Americans. Just a few days prior, lawmakers from both parties attended a closed meeting regarding the strikes. Many left feeling frustrated and unsettled.
Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee expressed their dissatisfaction with the briefing. They raised concerns over the legality of the operations and uncertainties regarding the administration’s objectives.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) commented, “It’s our responsibility to oversee the military’s use of lethal force outside the U.S., yet we left without a clear understanding of how and why we deemed this force necessary.”
In his post, Hegseth shared a video that seemed to show an object in the water followed by a bright explosion.
“These narco-terrorists are introducing drugs into our communities, aiming to poison Americans in their homes, but they won’t succeed. The Department of Defense will treat them just like we did with al-Qaeda,” he declared. “We’ll keep tracking, mapping, hunting, and eliminating them.”
