US Strikes 5 Vessels, 8 Dead, Amid Rising Tensions with Venezuela

By Staff, Agencies

The US military has intensified its campaign in international waters, launching deadly strikes on five vessels it claims were linked to drug trafficking, amid rising tensions with Venezuela.

US Southern Command reported on Wednesday that the strikes, carried out over two days, left eight people dead.

The command did not disclose the exact locations of the strikes carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday. Previous attacks have taken place in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Southern Command said three boats were targeted Tuesday as they traveled together along known drug routes, with a video showing explosions hitting the vessels in close formation.

The US has not provided independently verified evidence to support its claims. The authenticity and context of the video have not been independently verified.

The command reported three deaths in the first strike, while those on the other boats jumped into the water before follow-up strikes sank them. It’s unclear if any survivors were found despite Coast Guard search efforts.

Hours later, the military announced strikes on two more vessels on Wednesday, killing five additional people.

Since September, the US military has carried out more than 30 such strikes, with a reported death toll of at least 115.

Rights groups and international law experts say the operations amount to extrajudicial killings, noting that those targeted appear to be civilians posing no immediate threat to the United States.

The strikes come amid a major US military buildup in the Caribbean, described as unprecedented in decades.

Analysts say the show of force reflects a broader pattern of interventionist policy in Latin America, often justified through security narratives but carrying serious legal and humanitarian consequences.

The Trump administration faces criticism over deadly strikes in the Caribbean, with lawmakers calling them war crimes. The latest attacks come amid US pressure on Venezuela, which denies claims that Maduro leads a drug cartel.

Maduro warned Venezuela will defend its sovereignty, stating the US cannot turn Bolivarian nations into colonies. He urged Washington to abandon its "regime change" plots, adding, "We will always find here a president who represents his people, to reach out, to seek paths to peace, cooperation, and prosperity."