President Donald Trump has revealed that US military forces have executed another strike on a boat purportedly transporting drugs from Venezuela , resulting in the death of three men on board.
Trump disclosed that the strike occurred on Monday, a mere fortnight after a previous US military assault on a Venezuelan drug-carrying vessel claimed 11 lives.
“This morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” he posted on Truth Social. The news comes as the US and UK are set to sign huge nuclear power deal during Donald Trump’s state visit.
“The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS! ) headed to the U.S.”
The president issued a stern warning to cartels, stating that American forces would persist in targeting traffickers he deemed a threat to national security, reports the Mirror US.
“The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER,” he further stated.
Trump shared footage of the strike, which depicted the boat bursting into flames upon being targeted.
The initial strike two weeks prior drew criticism from several senators who questioned its legality. The Trump administration asserted that the vessel was transporting Tren de Aragua gang members.
In a strongly worded letter to the White House, Senator Tim Kaine and other Democratic senators criticised the Trump administration for providing “no legitimate legal justification” for the attack.
“Our armed forces are not law enforcement agencies,” stated Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island in a powerful speech last week.
The Trump administration has defended its actions by claiming self-defence as a legal justification for the strike. Tren de Aragua has been officially labelled as a terrorist organisation by the US.