US Military Strikes Vessel Off Venezuelan Coast, Killing Six; Trump Claims Drug Smuggling Involvement

The US military attacked a ship near the Venezuelan coast, resulting in the deaths of 6 people. President Donald Trump stated that the ship was involved in illegal drug trafficking. This attack is one of several such incidents since September, which have resulted in 27 deaths.

The US military attacked a ship smuggling narcotics in international waters near the Venezuelan coast, resulting in the deaths of six people on board. President Donald Trump shared this information via a social media post.

This latest action brings the total number of deaths from US military attacks on suspected drug-smuggling vessels near Venezuela to 27 since September.

Trump stated that US intelligence agencies provided information indicating the ship was transiting a known route and was linked to an illegal drug and terrorist network.

Trump Declared Drug Cartels Terrorist Organisations

Earlier this month, Trump announced his decision to designate drug cartels as terrorist organisations. The Trump administration stated it would take strict action against these cartels and treat their members as unlawful combatants.

However, the memorandum did not name the cartels nor disclose the criteria the US government would use to determine if an individual was sufficiently linked to a cartel to be targeted.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly accused the US of using cartel threats as a pretext to increase its military presence and facilitate a change of power in Latin America.

Venezuela Condemns Illegal US Incursions

Earlier this month, Venezuela's Defence and Foreign Ministries condemned the illegal incursions of US fighter jets.

Foreign Minister Yván Gil stated in a social media post that these aircraft were detected approximately 75 kilometres off our coast on October 2, 2025.

He added that this action is a provocative act for Venezuela, posing a threat to national sovereignty and violating international law and the International Civil Aviation Convention.

US-Venezuela Relations Tense

Relations between the US and Venezuela are highly tense. The US has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of drug trafficking and terrorism, offering a $50 million reward for his arrest.

Maduro is accused of smuggling large quantities of narcotics from Venezuela to the US and facilitating the passage of illegal immigrants using fake passports.