According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the operation was carried out in international waters and no military personnel were injured.
The government of the President of the United States, Donald Trump (Republican), carried out on Saturday (Nov 1, 2025) another air attack against a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. The operation left 3 dead and is part of the White House’s campaign to combat international drug trafficking.
The information was released by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. In his profile on X (formerly Twitter), the head of the Pentagon that the struck boat was “a known drug trafficking route and transported narcotics” towards the North American coast. No military personnel were injured in the operation.
“Today, under orders from President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal attack against yet another drug trafficking vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Caribbean. This vessel – like all others – was known to our intelligence to be involved in narcotics smuggling, was transiting a known drug trafficking route and was transporting narcotics. Three male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which was carried out in waters international forces. All three terrorists were killed and no American forces were injured in this attack.”wrote Hegseth.
Watch the video of the attack (17s):
Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on another narco-trafficking vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Caribbean.
This vessel—like EVERY OTHER—was known by our intelligence to be…
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar)
“These narco-terrorists are bringing drugs to our shores to poison Americans at home—and they will not succeed. The Department will treat them just as we treat al-Qaeda. We will continue to track, map, hunt, and eliminate them.”added the secretary.
US TARGETS DRUG TRAFFICKING ROUTES
The vessel attacked on Saturday (Nov 1) was the 16th destroyed by the United States government in 15 operations in the Caribbean or Pacific since September. The actions ordered by the president Donald Trump are justified as combating drug trafficking. According to the government, the boats transport drugs from Venezuela and Colombia towards the USA. In total, 61 people died in the bombings.
Here is the chronology of operations:
No 1st attack, Trump that the dead were members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang classified by the US as a terrorist organization and allegedly linked to Maduro.
On September 15, Maduro called the attack a “heinous crime” and said it was a “military attack against civilians”. According to him, the passengers should have been captured, not killed.
O 2nd attack targeted a vessel that had left Venezuela and was in international waters. The victims were like “extraordinarily violent drug cartels and narco-terrorists”. Petro later stated that one of the dead was a Colombian fisherman named Alejandro Carranza.
No 3rd attackTrump that the dead were involved in drug trafficking, but did not provide further details. Days later, the Dominican Republic claimed to have recovered cocaine from a vessel destroyed in a US air strike, according to information from the .
Already 4th offensiveas with Hegseth, the victims were “affiliated with cartels and gangs designated as foreign terrorist organizations”. Petro said the boat was carrying Colombian citizens.
Already 5th offensiveTrump said the men were transporting narcotics without providing further details.
Already the 6th attack took place against a submarine suspected of drug smuggling. The 2 survivors – from Colombia and Ecuador – were rescued by the US Navy and later repatriated. Trump about the same episode on Truth Social on October 18, but the Times disclosed that the attack took place on October 16th.
No 7th attackHegseth que a vessel was affiliated with the ELN (National Liberation Army), a Colombian rebel group designated as “terrorist organization” by the USA since 1997.
Hegseth, no 8th attackthe boat era “known for our intelligence” for involvement in drug smuggling.
O 9th attackby the Secretary of Defense, it was an alleged vessel operated by the DTO.“These attacks will continue, day after day”he wrote.
Already 10th offensiveHegseth that the vessel andoperated hair train Aragua Train. “If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs into our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat al-Qaeda,” he wrote.
A 11th offensive There were 3 attacks on the same day against the 4 vessels considered suspicious. This brought the number of North American offensives to 13. Furthermore, it was the deadliest day of the military campaign.
Hegseth that the vessels sailed through “known drug trafficking routes”. Mexican authorities coordinated the rescue of a survivor.
O 12th day of offensivebeing the most recent attack, took place against a vessel that the Trump administration as also operated by OTD.
