“ The US military has destroyed a vessel suspected of transporting drugs in the eastern Pacific, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, noting that two people were killed in the strike. Source: Reuters. Details: This is the first known US strike in the Pacific Ocean as part of the Donald Trump administration’s new anti-drug campaign, which has already included at least seven similar operations in the Caribbean. These actions significantly increased the tension in US relations with Venezuela and Colombia. The official also posted a short 30-second video on the X network (Twitter), which shows the vessel moving through the water and then exploding. Previous US strikes in the Caribbean have killed at least 32 people, according to Reuters, but the Trump administration has yet to provide public evidence on the amount of drugs seized or the legal basis for the attacks. During a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that he considers the strikes to be legal and is convinced that “every one of them saves American lives.” The president also confirmed plans to strike ground targets in Venezuela, which would be a major escalation. Legal experts questioned why the strikes were being carried out by a military command rather than the US Coast Guard, which is normally responsible for maritime law enforcement. According to the data, previous anti-narcotics operations were accompanied by the deployment of American destroyers, F-35 fighters, a nuclear submarine and 6,500 troops in the Caribbean region. The US Coast Guard previously launched Operation Viper to intercept drugs in the Pacific Ocean, seizing more than 45 tons of cocaine by mid-October. It is not yet known why this time the administration decided to destroy the ship instead of intercepting it. Reuters reported last week that in a similar raid in the Caribbean, two suspected drug traffickers managed to survive — they were rescued and put on a US warship before being deported to Colombia and Ecuador.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: Reuters.
Details: It is the first known US strike in the Pacific Ocean as part of the Donald Trump administration’s new anti-drug campaign, which has already included at least seven similar operations in the Caribbean. These actions significantly increased the tension in US relations with Venezuela and Colombia.
Advertising:
The official also posted a short 30-second video on the X network (Twitter), which shows the vessel moving through the water and then exploding.
Previous US strikes in the Caribbean have killed at least 32 people, according to Reuters, but the Trump administration has yet to provide public evidence on the amount of drugs seized or the legal basis for the attacks.
During a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that he considers the strikes to be legal and is convinced that “every one of them saves American lives.”
The president also confirmed plans to strike ground targets in Venezuela, which would be a major escalation.
Legal experts questioned why the strikes were being carried out by a military command rather than the US Coast Guard, which is normally responsible for maritime law enforcement.
According to the data, previous anti-narcotics operations were accompanied by the deployment of American destroyers, F-35 fighters, a nuclear submarine and 6,500 troops in the Caribbean region.
The US Coast Guard previously launched Operation Viper to intercept drugs in the Pacific Ocean, seizing more than 45 tons of cocaine by mid-October.
It is not yet known why this time the administration decided to destroy the ship instead of intercepting it.
Reuters reported last week that in a similar raid in the Caribbean, two suspected drug traffickers managed to survive — they were rescued and put on a US warship before being deported to Colombia and Ecuador.