Hanoi: The United States announced Friday that its forces attacked a boat believed to be transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing six people. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated in a post on X that “there were six male drug traffickers on board during the attack, which was carried out in international waters. All six terrorists were killed.” He added that the raid took place overnight and that the targeted boat was operated by the Tren de Aragua cartel. The US Secretary did not provide any evidence that the targeted boat was carrying drugs.
According to Qatar News Agency, this is the latest operation in US President Donald Trump’s campaign to combat drugs in the region, which began last September. Trump said on Thursday that his administration plans to brief Congress on operations against drug gangs. In addition to the latest strike, the United States has carried out 10 attacks on suspected drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, killing nearly 40 people.
In a related development, the United States Friday increased its military presence in the Caribbean by deploying the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group. US Department of War spokesman Sean Parnell said in a post on the X platform that the increased presence of U.S. forces in the Southern Command region will enhance the United States’ ability to detect, monitor, and disrupt “illicit” actors and activities that threaten American security. Washington has so far deployed eight warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 aircraft to the Caribbean.