In the latest move of the Trump administration’s relentless campaign against drug trafficking, U.S. forces executed a successful strike on a suspected drug boat, killing six members of the Tren de Aragua gang, a notorious criminal group involved in narcotics trafficking. This marks the tenth strike in recent weeks and the first to take place under the cover of night, showcasing the intensifying efforts to target narcotraffickers in the Caribbean.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike, calling it a "lethal kinetic strike." He described the vessel as a known narcotics smuggling operation transiting along a well-established drug trafficking route. Hegseth emphasized that the operation was carried out in international waters and that the U.S. will treat those involved in drug smuggling the same way they treat terrorists like Al-Qaeda. "If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will hunt you down, day or night," he said, asserting that U.S. forces will continue to map and target these networks.
The strikes come as part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration, which has been putting increasing pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s regime, accusing it of being complicit in facilitating the drug trade. The Trump administration has even placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro, who dismissed the U.S. actions as an attack on civilians. Maduro condemned the strikes, calling them military aggression against non-military civilians and accused Trump of seeking regime change in Venezuela.
In addition to the drug boat strikes, the U.S. military has increased its show of force, with B-1 bombers flying near Venezuela and B-52 bombers and F-35B jet fighters making a presence in the region. Trump remarked that the strikes have led to a sharp decrease in drug trafficking by sea, although he warned that traffickers are now shifting to land routes.
Maduro, in response, claimed that Venezuela is prepared for any further military threats, boasting that the country has over 5,000 Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles, including the Igla-S systems. Despite Maduro’s threats, Trump remains firm in his stance, stating that the U.S. is prepared to take further action if necessary. Trump also noted that Maduro has already made desperate overtures to the U.S., offering "everything" to avoid further escalation.
As the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on drug trafficking, the stakes continue to rise, with the U.S. making it clear that it will not hesitate to take decisive action against those fueling the drug crisis in the Western Hemisphere.
