The United States military has confirmed a fresh wave of deadly strikes targeting vessels suspected of drug smuggling, resulting in eight fatalities. These latest operations, conducted this week, have pushed the total death toll in Washington's aggressive maritime campaign to at least 115 individuals since early September.
Details of the Latest Engagements
US Southern Command, responsible for American military activities in Central and South America, detailed the strikes in separate statements. The first operation occurred on Tuesday against what was described as a convoy of three narco-trafficking vessels in international waters.
According to the command, three individuals aboard the first boat were killed. Personnel on the remaining two vessels abandoned ship before follow-up actions sank the boats. A video released alongside the statement showed the boats being struck by explosions.
A second strike was carried out on Wednesday, targeting two more vessels and killing five people. The military stated it alerted the Coast Guard to activate search and rescue protocols but provided no further details on the fate of those who went overboard.
Escalating Campaign and Legal Concerns
Since September, the US has executed more than 30 such strikes, often in the Caribbean or eastern Pacific, though the precise locations of this week's actions were not immediately disclosed. The Trump administration claims these targets are used to smuggle narcotics into the United States, though concrete evidence linking each targeted boat to trafficking has not been publicly provided.
This lack of transparency has drawn sharp criticism. International law experts and human rights groups argue these operations likely constitute extrajudicial killings. They contend the strikes apparently target civilians who do not pose an immediate, direct threat to US forces, raising serious questions about the legality of such actions under international law.
Broader Political Context Against Venezuela
The military campaign is intertwined with a broader political offensive against Venezuela's government. In recent months, President Donald Trump has accused Venezuela's socialist leader, Nicolas Maduro, of running a "drug cartel." Maduro vehemently denies these allegations and counters that Washington is seeking regime change to control Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
The campaign's intensity is underscored by a reported CIA drone strike last week on a docking area allegedly used by Venezuelan drug cartels, as per sources cited by the Associated Press. With the latest attacks, the total number of known boat strikes has reached 35.
President Trump defends these measures as a necessary part of an "armed conflict" with drug cartels to stem the flow of narcotics into the US. However, the rising casualty figures and the opaque nature of the engagements continue to fuel international debate and complicate US foreign relations in the region.
