WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump said on Monday (Sep 15) that the US military carried out a strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel vessel heading to the US, the second such strike against a suspected drug boat in recent weeks.
He said three men were killed in the strike, adding that it occurred in international waters. Trump provided no evidence for his assertion that the boat was carrying drugs.
“This morning, on my Orders, US Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to US National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital US Interests,” Trump said. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) is the military’s combatant command, which encompasses 31 countries through South and Central America and the Caribbean.
The post also included a nearly 30-second video, with markings of “Unclassified” on the top, which appeared to show a vessel in a body of water exploding and then on fire.
Later on Monday, Trump said that “we have proof, all you have to do is look at the cargo that was … spattered all over the ocean, big bags of cocaine and fentanyl.”
Reuters conducted initial checks on the video with an AI detection tool, but the video was partly blurred, making it impossible to confirm if there was any manipulation.
However, thorough verification is an ongoing process, and Reuters will continue to review the footage as more information becomes available.
The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The latest strike comes amid a large US military buildup in the southern Caribbean. Five US F-35 aircraft were seen landing in Puerto Rico on Saturday after the Trump administration ordered 10 of the stealth fighters to join the buildup.
There are also at least seven US warships in the region, along with one nuclear-powered submarine.
