US strike of the Venezuelan coast kills 6 'narcotherrorists,' says Trump

A US strike on the coast of Venezuela killed six suspected drug dealers, President Donald Trump announced and called it part of a broader campaign against a narcother grorist networks. ‘The strike, carried out in international waters, is the latest in a series of US military operations in the Caribbean amid rising tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. (Photo by Jim Watson and Federico Parra / AFP) A US strike on a vessel along the coast of Venezuela killed six suspected drug dealers on Tuesday (October 14), President Donald Trump announced, who was the youngest in a series of military action in the region. “Under my standing authorities as commander-in-chief, this morning the war secretary ordered a deadly kinetic strike on a vessel attached to a designated terrorist organization (DTO),” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He said the strike targeted a boat to feed a narcotrafficking in the USSouthCom responsibility area – just on the coast of Venezuela. ” Six anesthetics killed ‘In the strike, Trump said that the intelligence confirmed that the vessel narcotics were trading and linked to’ illegal narcotherrorist networks. ‘ “The strike was carried out in international waters, and six male narcototers aboard the vessel died in the strike. No US forces were injured,” he added. A 30 -second video that Trump posted showed what was apparently a stationary vessel through a projectile before exploding. Legal controversial military expansion The operation reflects Trump’s greater use of military power, often in legally ambiguous ways. His administration authorized strikes, not only against terrorist groups, but also drug dealers, which faded the line between terrorism and the area of ​​the area. The Pentagon recently told the congress that Trump has determined that the US is engaged in “a non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels. Military build -up in the South Caribbean is the strike amid a significant US military build -up in the region. There are currently eight US warships deployed in the South Caribbean, along with the F-35 aircraft stationed in Puerto Rico and one submarine powered. Thousands of sailors and marines are reportedly involved in the operation. The administration has now hit at least six boats since early September, claiming to have transported drugs to the United States. Rising tensions with the Maduro regime The escalation fueled the tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who accused Washington of trying to expel him. Maduro responded by ordering military exercises and putting Venezuelan forces on warning.