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According to a senior military spokesperson, the US armed forces executed a lethal kinetic engagement on a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing four people.

“A US joint task force conducted a deadly attack on a vessel linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization in open sea. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along a established narco-trafficking route and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male drug traffickers were eliminated, and no American forces were harmed.”

Background and Prior Actions

The statement comes a day after a declaration regarding a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. That statement on online platforms, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund narcotics smuggling and other crimes, pledging to escalate the military buildup.

Only on the previous day, the Pentagon stated it had conducted strikes on three boats it accused of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Beginning on 2 September, over 20 military engagements have resulted in the deaths of at least 99 individuals, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.

Government Justifies Tactics Amid Scrutiny

The administration has faced increasing pressure to release video of a 2 September vessel attack. But, officials have declined to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a success, saying it has stopped drugs from reaching US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the bounds of legal military action.

While the administration has said the campaign is about stopping drugs destined for the US, comments from a senior aide appeared to confirm a broader 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 surrenders or concedes.”

This suggests the series of strikes may be part of a strategy to oust Venezuela's current government.