American Armed Forces Executes Lethal Strike in Eastern Pacific, Resulting in 4 Fatalities
According to a high-ranking military spokesperson, the US military carried out a fatal strike on a boat in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.
“A US joint task force carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization in open sea. Surveillance confirmed the vessel was transiting along a known drug smuggling route and was engaged in illicit drug transport. All four male drug traffickers were killed, and no US military forces were injured.”
Background and Recent Strikes
The statement comes a day after a declaration 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 revenues to fund drug trafficking and criminal activities, vowing to increase the military buildup.
Just on the previous day, US defense officials said it had carried out strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Beginning on 2 September, over 20 strikes have killed at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Administration Defends Actions Amidst Pressure
The government has encountered increasing demands to release video of a 2 September vessel attack. But, officials have declined to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a success, arguing it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the bounds of lawful warfare.
Although the administration has said the operation is about halting drugs destined for the US, comments from a senior aide appeared to confirm a wider political objective. In a recent interview, the chief of staff said the president “aims to keep on destroying vessels until Venezuela's president cries uncle.”
This suggests the military campaign may be linked to a push to oust Venezuela's current leadership.
