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- US conducts 17th lethal strike against alleged drug boat (abcnews.go.com)
US Continues Caribbean Anti-Drug Operations, Reports Fatal Strike
The United States has carried out its 17th lethal strike against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of all three individuals on board. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the action, which took place in international waters on Thursday.
“As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops,” Secretary Hegseth stated in a social media post. He confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics and that no U.S. forces were harmed in the strike. The three male individuals killed were identified as “narco-terrorists.”
This latest incident brings the total number of fatalities from such strikes to at least 70 since September 2.
In a separate development, Colombian President Gustavo Petro reported a significant anti-drug operation in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to the arrest of six individuals and the seizure of over seven tons of cocaine. President Petro described it as “one of the largest seizure days in my government, with the collaboration of our public security forces and the French authorities.”
He noted that these seizures, carried out both on land and at sea, occurred “without fatalities.” The nationalities of those arrested remain undisclosed.
The operations unfold amidst heightened tensions, with former President Donald Trump having previously referred to President Petro as an “illegal drug dealer” who “does nothing to stop” drug production.
On Sunday, the Trump administration reportedly provided a secret target list to over a dozen Senate Republicans for its ongoing military campaign in the Caribbean Sea. This suggests an anticipated sustained effort against drug cartels and a belief that the military strikes will withstand potential legal challenges.
Secretary Hegseth issued a stern warning to those involved in drug trafficking: “To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs — we will kill you.”
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- US conducts 17th lethal strike against alleged drug boat (abcnews.go.com)