US Military Conducts Lethal Strike in Pacific, Resulting in 4 Fatalities
According to a senior defense spokesperson, the US military executed a fatal kinetic engagement on a boat in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.
“A US joint task force conducted a deadly attack on a vessel linked to a terrorist group in open sea. Surveillance verified the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route and was engaged in illicit drug transport. All four male narco-terrorists were killed, and no US military forces were injured.”
Background and Prior Strikes
This announcement comes a day after an announcement regarding a blockade of all targeted oil tankers to and from Venezuela. In that announcement on online platforms, the US president alleged Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund narcotics smuggling and criminal activities, pledging to increase the military buildup.
Only on the previous day, the Pentagon said it had conducted strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, killing eight people. Beginning on 2 September, more than 20 military engagements have resulted in the deaths of at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Government Justifies Tactics Amidst Pressure
The administration has encountered increasing pressure to make public video of a September 2nd vessel attack. But, officials have declined to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a successful operation, saying it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has pushed back on concerns that it is stretching the limits of legal military action.
Although the administration has said the operation is about halting drugs headed to the US, remarks from a senior aide seemed to suggest a broader political aim. In a recent interview, the senior advisor said the president “wants to keep on blowing boats up until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”
This suggests the military campaign may be linked to a strategy to remove Venezuela's current leadership.
