Three Dead in the US Strike on Venezuela Ship

President Trump posted a video on Truth Social Media showing the moment the US military struck a Venezuela ship leading to the death of three terrorists.  He describes the attack as  a Kinetics Strike.

"This morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S."

The second kinetic strike targets Venezuelan cartels, threatening U.S. security. (Trump/Truth Social)

Outlining how the cartels pose a threat to the nation's security, Trump confirmed several terrorists had been killed in the strike.

"These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests. The Strike resulted in 3 male terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this Strike. BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU! The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!"

 

U.S. conducts second military strike against Venezuelan narcoterrorists (Trump/Truth Social)

The first strike against a suspected Tren de Aragua drug boat happened Sept. 2. and left 11 suspected narcoterrorists dead after being hit in the southern Caribbean.

At the time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on a visit to Ecuador that the U.S. and its allies were working on a tougher approach to cartels.

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He said that "cooperative governments" would help the U.S. identify drug traffickers and "blow them up, if that’s what it takes."

Trump shared footage of military strike against suspected Tren de Aragua drug boat on Sept. 2.Video

During an interview with Fox News on Monday, Rubio also stated the president had been clear about putting an end to drug trafficking.

"Interdiction alone is not going to stop these drug traffickers," he told Gillian Turner during an exclusive interview in Jerusalem.

"They don't mind losing 2% or 3% of their shipments. They've already sort of baked that into their economic plan. What needs to start happening is some of these boats need to get blown up. Some of these boats need to be not just intercepted but stopped," Rubio said.

USS Gravely and President Maduro

USS Gravely and two other destroyers are heading to Venezuela as the Trump administration takes on drug cartels and President Maduro. (Getty Images)

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office after the second strike, the president set out evidence that showed the boat was carrying narcoterrorists making their way to the U.S.

"All you have to do is look at the cargo," he said. "It was spattered all over the ocean. Big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place," he said.

"We know what time they were leaving, when they were leaving, what they had, and all the other things that you'd like to have," Trump added.