The U.S. military has launched a second strike against what it described as a Venezuelan drug cartel vessel in international waters, killing three suspected traffickers. President Donald Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, releasing a video of what he called a “kinetic strike.”

Trump said the action was carried out under his direct orders in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility. According to him, the boat was transporting illegal narcotics to the United States when it was targeted.

He claimed the strike left three male cartel members dead, with no U.S. casualties. The president added that the vessel’s cargo, including bags of cocaine and fentanyl, was left scattered across the ocean.

In his post, Trump described the cartels as “extraordinarily violent” and a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy. He warned that anyone transporting drugs capable of harming Americans would be hunted, declaring that the devastating impact of narcotics on American communities would “no longer” be tolerated.

BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU! The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER. pic.twitter.com/XHTDpWp6h7

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 15, 2025

This strike comes less than two weeks after the first operation on September 2, when U.S. forces targeted a suspected Tren de Aragua drug boat in the southern Caribbean. The earlier strike killed 11 alleged narcoterrorists.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a recent visit to Ecuador, said Washington and allied governments were working together to identify and eliminate traffickers.

Rubio said traditional methods weren’t enough because cartels only risked losing small parts of their shipments. In a TV interview, he said some ships would need to be completely destroyed for the plan to succeed.

https://t.co/o5xOQ6HRFg pic.twitter.com/s9ktAlDQUi

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 2, 2025

Speaking after the second strike, Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that authorities had clear evidence about the Venezuelan boat. He said officials knew the timing of its movements and the nature of its cargo, which he described as “all over the ocean” after the attack.

Critics say that using force at sea feels more like a counterterrorism operation than normal law enforcement, raising legal and ethical concerns.

Meanwhile, tensions with Venezuela are escalating. Over the weekend, Caracas accused the USS Jason Dunham of intercepting and boarding a tuna fishing boat in Venezuelan waters.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil said nine fishermen were held for eight hours in what he called an “illegal and hostile” act. He urged the U.S. to stop targeting civilian ships, warning it threatens “security and peace in the Caribbean.”

References: foxnews, CNN

Source: www.marineinsight.com