Overnight Strike On Boat Kills Six Suspected 'Narco-Terrorists' In Caribbean: US

Last Updated:October 24, 2025, 20:07 IST

Since September, the US has carried out at least ten attacks on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, killing nearly 40 people

This screen grab from a video posted by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on his X account.

A US strike against an alleged drug vessel killed six suspected “narco-terrorists" in the Caribbean, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday, marking the latest operation in President Donald Trump’s campaign against drug trafficking in the region.

Hegseth said this was the first strike conducted at night since the campaign began in September. The vessel targeted in the overnight operation was reportedly operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, which US officials describe as a violent criminal organisation.

“Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea," the US Defense Secretary wrote on X.

He added, “The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters—and was the first strike at night. All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike."

While Hegseth did not provide details on the cargo or confirm the presence of drugs, he shared a brief video appearing to show the vessel in the water before being hit by at least one projectile and exploding.

He also warned, “If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you."

On Thursday, Trump had said that his administration would brief Congress on the ongoing operations against drug cartels. He added that although a formal declaration of war was not required, US forces could soon expand strikes against cartel operations on land.

The US military has significantly increased its presence in the Caribbean, deploying guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and thousands of troops in recent months.

Since September, the United States has carried out at least ten attacks on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, killing nearly 40 people. Some of these operations reportedly occurred near Venezuelan waters. The Pentagon has released few details about these strikes, prompting questions from legal experts and Democratic lawmakers over whether the attacks comply with international law.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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