U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the military had conducted its third fatal strike on a suspected drug smuggling vessel this month. Trump stated in a social media post that the strike resulted in the deaths of three individuals and targeted a vessel linked to a designated terrorist organization engaged in drug trafficking within the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Specific details regarding the strike’s location were not disclosed, and both the White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Associated Press.
According to Trump, intelligence reports confirmed that the targeted vessel was transporting illicit narcotics through a well-known drug trafficking route with the intent to harm Americans. Earlier in the week, Trump had revealed a military strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, which also resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
This recent strike follows a September 2 military operation targeting a drug-carrying speedboat, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals. The Trump administration identified the operators of the boat as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, previously designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
The U.S. government has defended these military actions as necessary measures to curb the influx of drugs into the country. However, concerns have been raised by several senators, including members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as human rights organizations, questioning the legality of the operations. Critics argue that the use of the military for law enforcement purposes may constitute an overreach of executive authority.