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According to a senior defense official, the US military carried out a fatal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing four people.

“Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a craft linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization in open sea. Intelligence verified the vessel was transiting along a known drug smuggling route and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male drug traffickers were killed, and no American forces were injured.”

Background and Recent Strikes

This announcement follows a day after a declaration regarding a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. That statement on social media, the US president alleged Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes, pledging to escalate the military buildup.

Just on the previous day, the Pentagon stated it had carried out strikes on three boats suspected of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Beginning on 2 September, over 20 military engagements have killed at least 99 individuals, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.

Government Justifies Tactics Amidst Scrutiny

The administration has encountered increasing pressure to release video of a September 2nd vessel attack. But, the defense secretary have refused to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a success, saying it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has pushed back on concerns that it is exceeding the bounds of legal military action.

Although the administration has said the operation is about halting drugs destined for the US, remarks from a senior aide seemed to confirm a broader geopolitical objective. In a recently published interview, the senior advisor remarked the leader “wants to keep on destroying vessels until Venezuela's president surrenders or concedes.”

This indicates the military campaign may be part of a push to oust Venezuela's sitting leadership.