https://sputnikglobe.com/20260101/us-military-strikes-sink-3-drug-trafficking-vessels---command-1123397889.html
US Military Strikes Sink 3 Drug Trafficking Vessels - Command
US Military Strikes Sink 3 Drug Trafficking Vessels - Command
Sputnik International
The US military carried out new strikes against three vessels allegedly carrying drugs, as a result of which three "narco-terrorists" were killed, the US Southern Command said.
2026-01-01T03:17+0000
2026-01-01T03:17+0000
2026-01-01T04:10+0000
americas
donald trump
nicolas maduro
venezuela
caribbean
us southern command (southcom)
drug trafficking
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"On Dec. 30, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy. These vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes," the command said in a statement on Wednesday. The command added that three "narco-terrorists" aboard the first vessel were killed in the first strike. "The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels," the statement read. On December 17, US President Donald Trump declared the Venezuelan government a "foreign terrorist organization" and announced a complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers bound to and from Venezuela. He added that the US will not allow "a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States." The US justifies its military presence in the Caribbean region by the fight against drug trafficking. Since early September, Trump has authorized a number of strikes targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels off Venezuela's coasts. In November, Trump expressed the opinion that President Nicolas Maduro's days as Venezuela's leader were numbered, while saying that Washington had no plans to go to war with Caracas. Venezuela viewed these actions as a provocation aimed at destabilizing the region and as a violation of international agreements on the demilitarized and nuclear-free status of the Caribbean.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20251231/us-caribbean-show-of-force-comes-with-hefty-price-tag-1123391656.html
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US Military Strikes Sink 3 Drug Trafficking Vessels - Command
03:17 GMT 01.01.2026 (Updated: 04:10 GMT 01.01.2026) The US military carried out new strikes against three vessels allegedly carrying drugs, as a result of which three "narco-terrorists" were killed, the US Southern Command said.
"On Dec. 30, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy. These vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes," the command said in a statement on Wednesday.
The command added that three "narco-terrorists" aboard the first vessel were killed in the first strike.
"The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels," the statement read.
On December 17, US President Donald Trump declared the Venezuelan government a "foreign terrorist organization" and announced a complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers bound to and from Venezuela. He added that the US will not allow "a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States."
The US justifies its military presence in the Caribbean region by the fight against drug trafficking. Since early September, Trump has authorized a number of strikes targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels off Venezuela's coasts.
In November, Trump expressed the opinion that President Nicolas Maduro's days as Venezuela's leader were numbered, while saying that Washington had no plans to go to war with Caracas. Venezuela viewed these actions as a provocation aimed at destabilizing the region and as a violation of international agreements on the demilitarized and nuclear-free status of the Caribbean.
