A United States military strike destroyed a vessel in the Caribbean overnight, killing six people Washington says were suspected members of the Tren de Aragua criminal group. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the operation on Friday, describing it as part of President Donald Trump’s expanding counter drug campaign in the region.
The Pentagon says the strike is the eleventh attack of its kind in recent months, as Washington increases missions aimed at intercepting maritime drug activity linked to organised crime networks.
Hegseth shared a short video on X showing a fast moving vessel in the water before being hit by a projectile and erupting into flames. He called it the first night time operation since the campaign began in September. He did not provide evidence of what the boat was carrying.
U.S. officials claim the vessel was crewed by suspects tied to Tren de Aragua, a gang that has spread from Venezuela into neighbouring countries.
Speaking on Thursday, Trump told reporters that the administration will brief Congress about the ongoing mission. He said further actions against cartel figures on land are being prepared, even though he argues a formal war declaration is unnecessary.
The United States has reinforced its military presence across the Caribbean in recent months. Assets now operating in the area include guided missile destroyers, F 35 aircraft, a nuclear powered submarine, and several thousand troops.
Nearly forty people have been killed across U.S. maritime strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific, according to figures released by American officials. Some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts have questioned how the campaign fits within international law and the rules governing the use of force.
Reuters recently reported that two alleged traffickers survived a previous strike in the Caribbean. They were later taken aboard a U.S. Navy ship and returned to Colombia and Ecuador.
Several of the earlier strikes occurred near Venezuelan waters. President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to remove him from office. The United States doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to fifty million dollars in August, accusing him of links to drug trafficking networks. Maduro denies the accusations.
The U.S. military has not commented on whether more strikes are imminent, but officials suggest operations are likely to continue as the campaign moves forward.
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Africa Digital News, New York
