US Military Attack Near Venezuela Kills Six Suspected Drug Traffickers

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): US President Donald Trump announced that American forces launched an attack on a ship involved in drug trafficking near Venezuela’s coast in international waters, killing six people on board. Trump shared the information on Truth Social.

According to news agency Xinhua, since September, a total of 27 people have been killed in US military strikes targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels around Venezuela. Trump stated that US intelligence agencies had confirmed the ship was traveling along a known narcotics route and was linked to an illegal drug trafficking terrorist network.

Earlier, the Trump administration sent a memorandum to Congress, declaring that the United States is now in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations. Members of these cartels will be treated as “unlawful combatants” by the US.

However, the memorandum did not specify which cartels were involved or the criteria used by the US government to determine an individual’s association with such cartels. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the US of using drug cartels as an excuse to attempt regime change in Venezuela and to expand its military presence in Latin America.

A few days earlier, Venezuela’s defense and foreign ministries condemned the illegal intrusion of US fighter jets. Foreign Minister Yván Gil stated on social media that on October 2, 2025, US warplanes were detected about 75 kilometers off Venezuela’s coast. The Venezuelan government called it a provocative act against its sovereignty and a violation of international law and the International Civil Aviation Convention.