As stated by a high-ranking defense spokesperson, the US military carried out a lethal kinetic engagement on a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing four people.
“A US joint task force carried out a deadly attack on a vessel linked to a terrorist group in international waters. Surveillance confirmed the vessel was traveling along a established narco-trafficking route and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male narco-terrorists were eliminated, and no American forces were harmed.”
Background and Recent Strikes
This announcement follows a day after an announcement regarding a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. In that announcement on online platforms, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund narcotics smuggling and criminal activities, vowing to escalate the military buildup.
Just on Tuesday, US defense officials said it had conducted strikes on three boats suspected of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, killing eight people. Beginning on 2 September, over 20 military engagements have resulted in the deaths of at least 99 individuals, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Government Justifies Actions Amidst Pressure
The government has encountered increasing pressure to make public video of a 2 September vessel attack. But, officials have declined to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a successful operation, saying it has prevented drugs from reaching US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is stretching the limits of legal military action.
While the administration has stated the campaign is about stopping drugs headed to the US, remarks from a senior aide seemed to suggest a wider geopolitical aim. In a recently published interview, the chief of staff remarked the leader “wants to keep on destroying vessels until Venezuela's president cries uncle.”
This suggests the series of strikes may be part of a strategy to remove Venezuela's sitting government.
