U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the United States has carried out another strike against a ship suspected of being involved in drug trafficking activities. The operation took place in the Caribbean Sea, targeting members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization. According to Hegseth, six men on board were killed during the strike.
This marks the tenth such strike conducted by the Trump administration since early September, with most occurring in the Caribbean and off the coast of South America. Previous strikes also took place in the Pacific Ocean on October 21 and 22.
Hegseth shared a video on the social media platform X, appearing to show the operation in progress. The footage shows a boat within crosshairs before it is engulfed in smoke following an explosion.
The legality of these strikes and the President’s authority to order them have been questioned by members of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Congress. However, President Trump maintains his legal right to carry out these operations and has officially designated the Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization.