Additional Coverage:
- Hegseth issues stark warning to drug traffickers following US military strike on Venezuelan vessel (foxnews.com)
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent a stern warning to drug traffickers Wednesday, revealing details of a US military operation that destroyed a Venezuelan vessel in the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of eleven suspected members of the Tren de Aragua narco-terrorist group.
“Things have changed. This kind of activity will not be tolerated in our hemisphere,” Hegseth stated on Fox & Friends.
Venezuelan officials disputed the authenticity of video footage of the incident, claiming it was AI-generated. Hegseth firmly refuted this, asserting, “That was not artificial intelligence.
I watched it live. We knew exactly who was on that boat, their mission, and who they represented.”
Hegseth characterized the strike as a direct blow against a “narco-terrorist organization” attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into the US. President Trump shared footage of the explosion, emphasizing it as a clear message to anyone involved in drug trafficking and confirming that no US personnel were harmed. He later specified the operation took place within the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility while the vessel was in international waters.
While unable to divulge operational specifics, Hegseth stressed the precision of the strike and warned, “This is not a one-time event. Any other designated narco-terrorists trafficking in those waters will meet the same fate. Protecting our homeland and our hemisphere is paramount.”