US Military Conducts Lethal Strike in Eastern Pacific, Leading to 4 Fatalities
According to a senior military official, the American armed forces carried out a lethal strike on a boat in the Pacific Ocean, killing four individuals.
“Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out a deadly attack on a craft linked to a terrorist group in international waters. Intelligence verified the vessel was traveling along a established drug smuggling route and was engaged in illicit drug transport. A total of four male drug traffickers were eliminated, and no US military forces were harmed.”
Context and Recent Actions
This announcement follows a day after a declaration regarding a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. That statement on online platforms, the American leader accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes, vowing to escalate the military buildup.
Just on Tuesday, US defense officials stated it had conducted strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Since 2 September, more than 20 strikes have killed at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Administration Defends Tactics Amidst Pressure
The government has faced increasing demands to release video of a 2 September vessel attack. But, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has supported its efforts as a success, saying it has prevented drugs from reaching US shores and has pushed back on concerns that it is exceeding the limits of lawful warfare.
While the administration has stated the campaign is about stopping drugs headed to the US, remarks from a senior aide seemed to confirm a wider political objective. In a recently published interview, the chief of staff remarked the president “wants to keep on blowing boats up until the Venezuelan president cries uncle.”
This suggests the series of strikes may be linked to a push to remove Venezuela's current government.
