Video was published online by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth showing a United States military strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, killing six purported gang members.
Hegseth said Friday in a post on X that the crew worked for the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and that the vessel carried narcotics along a route used by smugglers heading toward the U.S. The "lethal kinetic strike" was directed by President Donald Trump, per the secretary.
"The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics," Hegseth wrote on X. "Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters—and was the first strike at night. All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike."
A video accompanying the post shows a small craft bursting into flames after being hit.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announces a U.S. strike that killed six gang members.
The Pentagon has not released proof of what was on board. Officials have not identified the six who were killed.
"If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda," Hegseth added. "Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you."
This marks the latest in a series of deadly interdictions targeting suspected narco-terrorists in the Caribbean.
Just two days earlier, on Oct. 22, Hegseth announced via X that now-deceased terrorists were supposedly engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. Three males on board the vessel targeted by U.S. forces were killed and no U.S. military members were harmed.
The defense secretary made a similar statement then, discouraging foreign individuals and gangs from harming the U.S. and its citizens: "These strikes will continue, day after day. These are not simply drug runners—these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities," he wrote.
Critics question the legality of the strikes. Supporters call them a strong message to gangs moving drugs toward American shores.
The Venezuelan government condemned the action. Lawmakers in Washington are asking for more details about who authorized it and what intelligence backed it up.
