10th purported Venezuelan narco vessel liquidated in lethal strike

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announces lethal strike on Tren de Aragua boat carrying drugs, marking tenth such operation as administration escalates war on cartels

At President Trump’s direction, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike overnight on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua, a Designated Terrorist Organization trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea. All six male narco-terrorists aboard were killed in what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as the first nighttime strike in the expanding campaign against drug cartels.

The vessel was confirmed by intelligence to be smuggling narcotics along a known trafficking route in international waters. Six male terrorists were aboard during the strike, which was conducted in international waters and represents the tenth such operation since the campaign began in September.

“If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda,” Hegseth stated. “Day or night, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued the following statement:

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 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.

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.