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According to a senior military official, the US military executed a fatal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of four people.

“A US joint task force conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a craft operated by a terrorist group in international waters. Surveillance confirmed the vessel was traveling 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 harmed.”

Context and Prior Strikes

The statement follows a day after an announcement regarding a naval blockade of all targeted oil tankers to and from Venezuela. That statement on online platforms, the American leader accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund narcotics smuggling and criminal activities, pledging to increase the military buildup.

Just on Tuesday, US defense officials stated it had conducted strikes on three boats suspected of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Since 2 September, over 20 military engagements have killed at least 99 individuals, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.

Government Justifies Actions Amid Pressure

The administration has encountered increasing demands to release video of a 2 September vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has supported its campaign as a successful operation, saying it has stopped 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 campaign is about halting drugs destined for the US, remarks from a top official seemed to suggest a wider geopolitical objective. In a recently published interview, the chief of staff said the president “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Venezuela's president cries uncle.”

This suggests the military campaign may be part of a push to remove Venezuela's current government.