US Strikes Another ‘Narco-Trafficking’ Boat, Kills 4 a Day After Trump Announces Venezuela “Blockade”; Video Released
The United States on Wednesday (December 17) said its forces carried out another strike on what it described as a “narco-trafficking” vessel. In a statement, the US military said the latest Operation Southern Spear strike killed four people.
The announcement came a day after US President Donald Trump, on Tuesday (December 16), intensified pressure on Venezuela by declaring what he called a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country.
In recent weeks, US forces have repeatedly targeted alleged drug-smuggling boats in the region, with the operations killing nearly 90 people. Last week, US forces also seized a large oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, alleging it was carrying black-market oil in breach of US sanctions. Washington later imposed additional sanctions on more vessels linked to the trade.
‘At Pete Hegseth’s Direction’
In a post on X, US Southern Command said, “On Dec. 17, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organisation in international waters.”
The command claimed intelligence confirmed the vessel was moving along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. It said four male “narco-terrorists” were killed and no US military personnel were harmed.
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US Southern Command also shared a video showing thick smoke rising after the vessel was hit.