By: The Trek News Desk
The United States military has confirmed that at least five people were killed in a fresh operation targeting boats suspected of drug trafficking. Following the strikes, the US Coast Guard was instructed to begin a search-and-rescue mission to locate possible survivors in the surrounding waters.
In a statement released on Wednesday, US Southern Command did not disclose the exact location of the operation. However, previous similar actions have taken place in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean. A video shared by Southern Command on social media showed several boats moving together in close formation. The military claimed the vessels were travelling along known narcotics trafficking routes and had exchanged drugs with one another before the attack. No independent evidence was provided to support these allegations.
According to the military, three people on one boat were killed during the initial strike. Those aboard the remaining two vessels reportedly jumped into the sea and moved away from their boats, after which follow-up strikes caused both ships to sink. A subsequent operation resulted in the deaths of two more individuals.
US officials said the Coast Guard was notified to activate its search-and-rescue systems. This decision has drawn attention because earlier operations, particularly one in early September, were heavily criticised after survivors of an initial strike were reportedly targeted again. At the same time, some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts described that incident as unlawful, while the administration of President Donald Trump and several Republican leaders defended the actions as legal.
Media reports quoted a US official as saying that eight individuals abandoned their boats and are currently being searched for in the Pacific Ocean. The US Coast Guard confirmed that a C-130 aircraft has been deployed and that coordination is underway with ships operating in the area.
This is not the first time survivors have been reported following US strikes during the Trump administration. In October, two survivors were rescued and later repatriated to their home countries. In another case, the same month, Mexican authorities launched a search operation after a US strike, but the lone survivor was never found.
With Wednesday’s action, the number of confirmed US strikes on boats since early September has risen to 33, with at least 112 deaths reported so far. Trump has defended these operations as necessary to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, arguing that the country is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.
As part of this strategy, the US has increased its military presence in the region. More than 15,000 troops have been deployed, a move seen as part of broader pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Washington accuses Maduro of involvement in narco-terrorism, allegations that Caracas strongly denies. Venezuelan officials maintain that the US is attempting to destabilise the government to gain access to the country’s vast oil reserves.
Earlier this week, Trump also claimed that the US had struck an area in Venezuela used for loading drugs, marking what is believed to be the first known land-based operation there. US officials later clarified that the strike was not carried out directly by the American military, and Trump had previously indicated that the CIA had been authorised to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
Source: News Agencies
