American Military Executes Lethal Attack in Eastern Pacific, Resulting in 4 Deaths
According to a senior defense official, the US military executed a fatal kinetic engagement on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing four people.
“A US joint task force conducted a deadly attack on a vessel operated by a terrorist group in international waters. Surveillance verified the vessel was traveling 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 Recent Actions
This announcement comes a day after a declaration regarding a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. In that announcement on social media, the US president alleged Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes, pledging to escalate the military presence.
Just on Tuesday, the Pentagon said it had carried out strikes on three boats it accused of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Beginning on 2 September, more than 20 strikes have killed at least 99 people, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.
Administration Justifies Tactics Amid Scrutiny
The administration has faced growing demands to release video of a 2 September vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has defended its efforts as a successful operation, arguing it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding 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 confirm a broader political objective. In a recently published interview, the senior advisor said the leader “aims to keep on destroying vessels until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”
This indicates the military campaign may be linked to a strategy to remove Venezuela's current government.
