U.S. Military Strikes Suspected Drug-Trafficking Vessel

On Sunday, Army Secretary Pete Hegseth shared footage of a recent attack by the U.S. military on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking.

Since September 2, when a boat carrying members of the Venezuelan gang Torren de Aragua sank, the U.S. military has targeted multiple vessels believed to be involved in drug smuggling. Hegseth noted that the most recent attack occurred on Friday, aimed at the National Liberation Army (ELN), a Colombian terrorist group.

“On October 17, following orders from President Trump, the Army executed a lethal attack on a vessel linked to the ELN, an organization recognized as a terrorist group in USSOUTHCOM’s operational area,” Hegseth mentioned in a post that included a video of the incident. “We believe this vessel was actively engaged in illegal drug smuggling and was carrying substantial amounts of drugs along known trafficking routes.”

“During the operation, which took place in international waters, three male narco-terrorists were aboard the ship,” Hegseth added. “All three were killed, and thankfully, no U.S. personnel were injured. These cartels are akin to the Al-Qaeda of our hemisphere, using violence and fear to achieve their goals, thus threatening our nation’s security and harming our people.”

The ELN was labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the Clinton administration in 1997 and operates primarily in Colombia. In 2020, U.S. authorities charged members of this group with drug trafficking offenses.

Criticism of the strike came from both Democratic and Republican circles, including Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky, who attempted to block the action, but his effort was unsuccessful in a Senate vote on October 8.

“The U.S. military will treat these groups as terrorists,” Hegseth asserted. “They will be pursued and eliminated just like al-Qaeda.”