Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the US military killed four people in an attack on a suspected drug boat in the eastern Pacific.
“This ship, like all the others, was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit drug trafficking, it was transiting a known narco-trafficking route and was carrying narcotics,” Hegseth said.
He also posted a 22-second video on Twitter that shows the boat exploding with a huge explosion in international waters.
The attack follows US attacks earlier this week that killed 14 people in the area.
The latest attack brings the death toll in Washington’s anti-drug campaign to at least 62.
Caracas fears US attempt to oust Maduro
On Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the interception of three planes allegedly used for drug trafficking.
There is a large-scale US military buildup not far from Venezuela, which the US has described as an anti-narcotics operation.
It includes seven US Navy warships as well as F-35 stealth warplanes and the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group.
Caracas fears it is a cover for military action to oust Maduro.
‘Potential violation of international law’
While US President Donald Trump described the strikes as a necessary measure to stem the flow of drugs into the country, Washington has yet to release any public evidence indicating that its targets were smuggling drugs or posing a threat to the US.
Experts are criticizing the US operation, with UN officials warning of possible violations of international law.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the developments worrying and said, “Every time someone is killed, there needs to be accountability.”
Edited by: Dmytro Lyubenko