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According to a high-ranking military official, the American armed forces executed a fatal strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.

“A US joint task force carried out a deadly attack on a vessel linked to a terrorist group in open sea. Surveillance confirmed the vessel was transiting along a established drug smuggling route and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male drug traffickers were killed, and no US military forces were injured.”

Background and Prior Strikes

The statement comes a day after an announcement regarding a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. That statement on online platforms, the US president alleged Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund narcotics smuggling and criminal activities, vowing to escalate the military presence.

Only on the previous day, US defense officials said it had conducted strikes on three boats suspected of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Beginning on 2 September, over 20 strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.

Administration Defends Tactics Amid Scrutiny

The government has encountered increasing demands to make public video of a September 2nd vessel attack. But, the defense secretary have refused to do so. The administration has supported its campaign as a successful operation, saying it has prevented drugs from entering US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the limits of lawful warfare.

While the administration has said the operation is about halting drugs headed to the US, remarks from a top official seemed to suggest a wider geopolitical objective. In a recently published interview, the chief of staff remarked the leader “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Venezuela's president surrenders or concedes.”

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