At least 11 people were killed in a U.S. military strike on a suspected drug-laden vessel from Venezuela in the southern Caribbean Sea, President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday.
Trump identified the dead as terrorists, saying they belonged to Venezuela’s notorious gang “Tren de Aragua,” which Washington designated as a terrorist organization earlier this year. Speaking at the White House, Trump said: “Just a few minutes ago, we blew up a drug boat. It had huge amounts of drugs. More are coming. For a long time, drugs have been entering our country from Venezuela.”
The president later posted drone footage on his Truth Social platform showing a speedboat exploding and catching fire. Trump said no U.S. troops were injured in the operation.
Caracas denied the allegations. Venezuelan Information Minister Freddy Ñáñez claimed the video was artificially generated, though Reuters said its preliminary checks found no signs of manipulation. A full review is still underway.
The Pentagon has not released details of the strike, including what type or quantity of drugs were on board. Analysts noted that destroying a suspected drug vessel rather than seizing it is highly unusual and reminiscent of counterterrorism operations against groups like al-Qaeda.
The strike comes amid Trump’s escalation of anti-drug measures in the Caribbean. In recent weeks, the U.S. has deployed seven warships, a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, and more than 4,500 Navy and Marine personnel to the region, along with P-8 spy planes for surveillance.
