Pentagon strikes another narco-terrorist boat, killing 4 under Trump’s directive
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Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the US military attacked another boat carrying what it claimed were narco-terrorists.
According to Hegseth, the attacks were carried out in the Eastern Pacific region on the orders of President Donald Trump and killed four people on board.
The military “conducted a deadly kinetic attack on another drug smuggling vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Eastern Pacific,” Hegseth wrote in X.
“This ship, like others, was known to our intelligence to be involved in illicit drug trafficking, was passing through a known drug trafficking route and was carrying narcotics,” he said. “During the attack, which took place in international waters, four male narco-terrorists were on board and were killed. No US forces were harmed in this attack.”
USA HIT ANOTHER SHIP, ALLEGEDLY TRAFFICKING DRUGS, NEAR VENEZUELA, 4 PEOPLE KILLED
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced that the US military shot down another boat carrying people it claimed were narco-terrorists. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
“The Western Hemisphere is no longer a safe haven for narco-terrorists who bring drugs to our shores to poison Americans,” Hegseth added. “The War Department will continue to hunt them down and eliminate them wherever they operate.”
This is the 14th attack on suspected drug vessels since September. A total of 61 people were reported to have died, three survived, among whom at least two were later repatriated.
The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed or evidence of drugs on the ship.
USA IS DEPLOYING FORD CARRIER STRIKE GROUP TO COMBAT NARCO-TERRORISM IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed or evidence of drugs on the ship. (Reuters)
The Trump administration has been scrutinized for the attacks in recent weeks; That includes Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. He expressed concern about the possibility of killing people without due process and killing innocent people.
Paul cited Coast Guard statistics showing that a significant percentage of boats boarded on suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.
The senator also argued that if the administration plans to go to war with Venezuela for targeting boats it claims are carrying drugs for the Venezuela-linked Tren de Aragua gang, it should ask Congress for a declaration of war.
The attacks were carried out in the Eastern Pacific region at the behest of President Donald Trump. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
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Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee also penned a letter Wednesday requesting a review of the legal justifications behind the series of boat attacks that they say appear to violate multiple laws.
“Drug trafficking is a terrible crime that has devastating effects on American families and communities and must be prosecuted. However, the President’s actions to hold alleged drug traffickers accountable must still comply with the law,” the letter said. The statement is included.
