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US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the US military had struck another vessel off the coast of Venezuela, resulting in six deaths.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the vessel was used by "narcoterrorists" for "trafficking narcotics." This marks the fifth such strike by the Trump administration against boats accused of trafficking drugs in international waters since September, bringing the reported death toll to 27. The US has not released evidence or details regarding the identities of the vessels or those on board.
Some lawyers have accused the US of breaching international law, and neighbouring nations like Colombia and Venezuela have condemned the strikes.
In his Truth Social post, Trump said "intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks, and was transiting along a known" route for smuggling. He also posted an aerial surveillance video showing a small boat on water that is struck by a missile and explodes.
Trump did not specify the nationality of those on board, or what drug smuggling organisation they are suspected of belonging to. He added that no US military personnel were injured.
The strike comes after a recent leaked memo sent to Congress, and reported on by US media, that said the administration determined the US was in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels.
The US has positioned its strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels as self-defence, despite many lawyers questioning their legality.
Framing this as an active armed conflict is likely a way for Trump to justify using more extreme wartime powers – for example killing "enemy fighters" even if they have not posed a violent threat, or detaining people indefinitely.
While it is true that some drug trafficking occurs in Venezuela, and some cartels operate in the region that some of these vessels allegedly have originated from, it is not considered a hotspot for drug trafficking compared to some other locations in the region.
As a result, many believe this is part of a wider political campaign to put military pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro
The strikes come after the US announced a $50m (£37m) reward for any information leading to the arrest of Maduro - whose election to lead the country has been widely rejected by the international community - on drug-trafficking charges.
Venezuela's government has reacted to previous recent strikes with anger.
