New U.S. strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat kills 6 on board, Hegseth says

Washington Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the U.S. conducted another strike against a vessel that was allegedly operated by Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which he claimed was trafficking in drugs on the Caribbean Sea.

Hegseth stated on social media, that the strike took place in international water and killed all six men on board. He said that it was the first nighttime strike.

He wrote: “Our intelligence knew that the vessel was involved in illicit drug smuggling. It was transiting on a well-known narcotrafficking route and was carrying narcotics.” Hegseth posted a video of the vessel being hit, which was marked as unclassified.

The latest strike by the Trump administration appears to be its 10th in the last few weeks against suspected drug trafficking vessels, resulting in more than 40 fatalities. First, there were several strikes in the Caribbean Sea. This week, however, the campaign expanded to the Pacific Ocean.

The U.S. struck a submersible suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and two men were returned to their home countries. One was from Ecuador, the other from Colombia. The Ecuadorian man, who was , was released by the authorities in Ecuador after they found no evidence that he had committed a criminal offense. The Colombian national was hospitalized and authorities in Ecuador said that he will be prosecuted.Department of War

Hegseth also announced that two other strikes took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both, he claimed, occurred in the Eastern Pacific. Defense Secretary Hegseth claimed in his social media posts that the vessels were controlled by a “designated terror organization,” without naming the group.

This week, the Colombian government called on the U.S. to stop targeting boats and “respect international law norms.” In an interview with CBS News’ Lilia Luciano on Thursday, Colombian president Gustavo Petro stated that he believed the White House should focus its attention on leaders of drug cartels and not lower-level suspected traffickers.

Petro, a CBS News reporter, said that “killing workers is easy. But if you’re looking for efficiency, you need to capture the bosses.”

President Trump has branded Petro an “illegal drug leader” who has “a fresh mouth towards America.” He also threatened to “close these killing fields for him immediately,” and that “United States won’t do it nicely.”

The administration informed Congress this month that it is engaged in a non-international armed war with drug cartels. It argued that narcotics brought into the U.S. illegally kill tens thousands of Americans each year, and that they constitute an “armed assault.”

Hegseth claimed that the vessels targeted were moving along a “known narcotrafficking route,” but Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona told Margaret Brennan on “Face the National” that the Caribbean routes are primarily used to transport cocaine to Europe and not the U.S.

The senator said the administration “had a hard time explaining the rationale and legal basis for this action, as well as the constitutionality” of it.

The Trump administration’s attacks have frustrated lawmakers from both sides of aisle who argue that it needs congressional approval to engage in hostilities against the drug cartels. Members of Congress also claim that the administration has not provided enough evidence to prove the vessels targeted are carrying drugs, and they have questioned whether the strikes were legal.

Mr. Trump said to reporters on Thursday at the White House that his administration will continue to give information to Congress about the strikes but would not seek a war declaration.

“I believe we will just kill those who bring drugs into our country. Okay? They’re all going to die. You know? “They’re going be dead,” said he.

The president suggested that land strikes could follow and may inform Congress of such a move.

“The drugs that are coming in via sea have decreased by less than 5% from what they were last year. Now they are coming by land,” said Mr. Trump. “Even the land is a problem, because I said that was going to be the next step. You know the land will be next. We may tell the Senate or the Congress about this. “But I can’t see any problems with it.”

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-us-strike-alleged-drug-boat-kills-6-hegseth-says/

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