American Armed Forces Conducts Deadly Strike in Eastern Pacific, Resulting in 4 Fatalities
According to a high-ranking defense spokesperson, the US military carried out a lethal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.
“Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization in international waters. Surveillance confirmed the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male narco-terrorists were eliminated, and no US military forces were injured.”
Context and Recent Actions
The statement comes a day after an announcement regarding a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. In that announcement on social media, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund narcotics smuggling and criminal activities, pledging to increase the military presence.
Only on Tuesday, the Pentagon stated it had carried out strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Since 2 September, more than 20 strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Government Justifies Tactics Amidst Scrutiny
The administration has encountered increasing pressure to make public video of a September 2nd vessel attack. But, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has defended its efforts as a success, arguing it has stopped drugs from entering US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the limits of legal military action.
While the administration has stated the campaign is about halting drugs destined for the US, comments from a top official appeared to suggest a broader political aim. In a recent interview, the senior advisor said the leader “wants to keep on destroying vessels until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”
This indicates the series of strikes may be linked to a strategy to oust Venezuela's current government.
