Trump: no US forces were harmed in drug vessel strike

Trump: no US forces were harmed in drug vessel strike

President Donald Trump announced today that the United States has successfully carried out a strike against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela, with no US forces reported harmed in the operation [1]. The president provided limited details about the strike, which was described as a "lethal" operation by Secretary of State Marco Rubio [1]. Rubio stated that the vessel was operated by a "designated narco-terrorist organization" [1].

The strike comes amid recent US efforts to bolster its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels [1]. The Pentagon has not provided immediate comment on the incident, but the US has not signaled any planned land incursions despite the deployment of thousands of personnel [1]. In response, President Nicolás Maduro's government has deployed troops along Venezuela's coast and border with neighboring Colombia and has urged Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia [1].

The press office of Venezuela's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the announcement [1]. The US has been increasingly active in the region, with the strike being the latest in a series of operations aimed at disrupting drug trafficking routes.

References:
[1] https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2025-09-02/trump-says-us-has-carried-out-strike-against-drug-carrying-vessel-that-departed-from-venezuela