American Military Executes Lethal Strike in Eastern Pacific, Resulting in 4 Fatalities
According to a high-ranking defense official, the US armed forces executed a lethal strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific, killing four people.
“A US joint task force conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route and was involved in illicit drug transport. A total of four male drug traffickers were eliminated, and no American forces were injured.”
Context and Prior Strikes
The statement follows a day after a declaration regarding a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. That statement on online platforms, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and criminal activities, vowing to escalate the military presence.
Only on Tuesday, the Pentagon said it had conducted strikes on three boats suspected of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, killing eight people. Since 2 September, over 20 strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 99 individuals, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.
Government Defends Actions Amidst Scrutiny
The government has encountered increasing demands to make public video of a September 2nd vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have refused to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a success, arguing it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has pushed back on concerns that it is exceeding the bounds of lawful warfare.
While the administration has said the campaign is about halting drugs destined for the US, comments from a senior aide appeared to confirm a wider geopolitical aim. In a recent interview, the chief of staff said the president “aims to keep on blowing boats up until the Venezuelan president cries uncle.”
This indicates the series of strikes may be part of a push to remove Venezuela's current leadership.
