US Military Executes Lethal Attack in Pacific, Leading to 4 Deaths
According to a senior defense spokesperson, the US armed forces executed a fatal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing four individuals.
“A US joint task force carried out a deadly attack on a craft linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization in international waters. Surveillance verified the vessel was traveling along a established drug smuggling route and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male drug traffickers were killed, and no American forces were harmed.”
Background and Recent Actions
This announcement comes a day after an announcement regarding a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. In that announcement on social media, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes, vowing to increase the military buildup.
Just on Tuesday, the Pentagon stated it had carried out strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, killing eight people. Since 2 September, over 20 strikes have killed at least 99 people, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.
Administration Defends Actions Amidst Scrutiny
The administration has faced growing pressure to make public video of a 2 September vessel attack. But, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a successful operation, arguing it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the bounds of lawful warfare.
While the administration has stated the campaign is about stopping drugs headed to the US, remarks from a top official appeared to suggest a wider geopolitical aim. In a recent interview, the chief of staff remarked the president “aims to keep on blowing boats up until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”
This suggests the series of strikes may be linked to a strategy to remove Venezuela's current leadership.
