Post by : Meena Ariff

The United States military has confirmed that at least five people were killed in a recent operation targeting boats suspected of drug trafficking. Search efforts are currently underway to locate possible survivors.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, US forces said they carried out strikes on multiple vessels believed to be operating along known drug-smuggling routes. Authorities did not disclose the exact location of the incident, though similar operations in recent months have taken place in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Military officials stated that the boats were travelling together in a coordinated formation and were suspected of transferring narcotics between vessels shortly before the strikes. No independent evidence was provided to support these allegations.

According to officials, the first strike resulted in the deaths of three individuals aboard one vessel. After the initial engagement, people on the remaining boats reportedly jumped into the water before follow-up strikes caused those vessels to sink. A later operation led to two more deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to five.

US authorities said the Coast Guard was immediately notified and instructed to initiate search and rescue operations. Aircraft and nearby vessels have been deployed to scan the surrounding waters, with officials indicating that several individuals may still be missing.

The decision to launch rescue efforts has drawn attention due to criticism surrounding earlier incidents in which survivors of similar strikes were later killed in follow-up attacks. Those incidents triggered legal and political debate in the United States, with some lawmakers questioning the legality of the actions, while the administration defended them as lawful under ongoing security operations.

Since early September, the latest incident adds to a rising number of maritime strikes connected to US anti-drug operations. Officials have described the campaign as a necessary escalation to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the country, framing it as part of a broader armed confrontation with international drug networks.

The United States has also expanded its military presence in the region, deploying thousands of troops as pressure increases on Venezuela’s leadership. Washington accuses the Venezuelan government of involvement in drug trafficking, an allegation Caracas strongly denies. Venezuelan officials claim the US is attempting to destabilize the country to gain control over its vast oil reserves.

Earlier this week, US authorities acknowledged a strike on land inside Venezuela linked to drug operations, marking a notable escalation. Officials later clarified that the land strike was not carried out directly by the US military, though covert operations in the region have reportedly been authorized.

#Global News