Trump: Second U.S. Strike on Venezuela-Based Cartel Kills Three ‘Terrorists’ in International Waters
President Donald Trump announced Monday that a second U.S. military strike against Venezuelan-linked drug traffickers had been carried out in international waters, killing three “male terrorists.” The operation, which targeted a vessel allegedly transporting narcotics to the United States, marks an intensification of Trump’s campaign to dismantle narco-terror networks operating under the Maduro regime.
“The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests.”
Dramatic footage shared by the president shows a missile strike obliterating a small boat drifting in rough seas. The fiery explosion, which followed moments after the impact, underscores the seriousness of what Trump has labeled a “war on poison.”
No American personnel were harmed in the operation, according to officials.
This second strike comes just days after a September 2 mission that killed 11 suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which the Trump administration formally designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. That earlier operation came on the heels of a $50 million bounty placed on Venezuela’s socialist dictator, Nicolás Maduro, whom Trump has accused of running a narco-state from Caracas.
“BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU!” the president declared.
Venezuela has denied the individuals aboard the targeted boats were involved in narcotics smuggling, but U.S. officials have dismissed those claims as disinformation. Intelligence has reportedly confirmed that the boats were operated by cartel-linked agents operating under protection of Maduro-aligned military officials.
As part of the broader mission, the U.S. Navy has deployed at least eight warships to the Caribbean, while stealth F-35 fighter jets have been seen landing in Puerto Rico, signaling growing force projection in the region. The Pentagon has also warned Venezuela against further provocations after two of its F-16s buzzed the USS Jason Dunham in what was described as a “highly provocative move.”
Trump has vowed to shoot down any hostile aircraft that interfere with U.S. operations.
Margarito “Jay” Flores Jr., a former Sinaloa cartel kingpin turned federal informant, praised the president’s campaign against transnational criminal organizations during an appearance on Fox News.
“They’re going after everyone,” Flores said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a president of a country or a drug trafficker. There’s a lot of fearful drug traffickers.”