American Military Executes Lethal Attack in Pacific, Resulting in 4 Deaths
According to a high-ranking military official, the US armed forces executed a fatal kinetic engagement on a boat in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of four people.
“A US joint task force conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a terrorist group in international waters. Surveillance confirmed the vessel was traveling along a established drug smuggling route and was involved in illicit drug transport. All four male drug traffickers were eliminated, and no American forces were harmed.”
Background and Prior Strikes
The statement comes a day after an announcement regarding a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. In that announcement on social media, the US president alleged Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and criminal activities, pledging to increase the military presence.
Just on the previous day, the Pentagon stated it had conducted strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, killing eight people. Since 2 September, more than 20 strikes have killed at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Government Defends Actions Amid Scrutiny
The administration has encountered growing demands to release video of a 2 September vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have refused to do so. The administration has supported its campaign as a successful operation, arguing it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has pushed back on concerns that it is exceeding the limits of legal military action.
While the administration has said the operation is about stopping drugs headed to the US, comments from a senior aide seemed to confirm a wider political aim. In a recent interview, the chief of staff said the president “aims 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 current leadership.
