US Armed Forces Conducts Lethal Strike in Eastern Pacific, Resulting in 4 Fatalities
As stated by a high-ranking defense spokesperson, the US armed forces executed a lethal strike on a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing four people.
“A US joint task force carried out a deadly attack on a craft operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was traveling along a established drug smuggling route and was involved in illicit drug transport. A total of four male narco-terrorists were eliminated, and no US military forces were harmed.”
Background and Recent Actions
The statement comes a day after a declaration regarding a blockade of all targeted oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. In that announcement on online platforms, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund narcotics smuggling and criminal activities, pledging to escalate the military presence.
Only on Tuesday, US defense officials said it had carried out strikes on three boats suspected of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, killing eight people. Beginning on 2 September, over 20 strikes have killed at least 99 individuals, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Government Defends Actions Amidst Pressure
The government has faced growing demands to release video of a September 2nd vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have refused to do so. The administration has supported its campaign as a success, arguing it has stopped drugs from entering US shores and has pushed back on concerns that it is exceeding the limits of legal military action.
Although the administration has said the campaign is about stopping drugs headed to the US, remarks from a top official seemed to confirm a broader geopolitical objective. In a recent interview, the senior advisor remarked the president “wants to keep on blowing boats up until the Venezuelan president cries uncle.”
This suggests the series of strikes may be linked to a push to remove Venezuela's sitting government.
