US Carries Strike Against Drug-Carrying Boat from Venezuela

United States President Donald Trump announced the U.S. conducted a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela. Speaking at an Oval Office press conference on Tuesday, President Trump said: “Just over the last few minutes, the U.S. military literally shot out a boat — a drug-carrying boat.” He added, “It just happened moments ago, and our great general, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff … he gave us a little bit of a briefing, and you’ll see — there’s more where that came from.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that the vessel was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization. Secretary Rubio described the operation as a lethal strike. Marco Rubio will be visiting Mexico and Venezuela this week.

Analysts described the move as a “significant escalation by the Trump administration against drug cartels from Latin America.” Earlier this year, the administration designated some cartels as foreign terrorist organzations.

Trump stated that a large volume of drugs is pouring into the US from Venezuela

During Tuesday’s press conference, Trump said: “We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country — coming in for a long time — and these came out of Venezuela, coming out very heavily from Venezuela.”

As widely reported, the U.S. has deployed a significant maritime force in the Caribbean, consisting of Aegis guided-missile destroyers, as part of the Trump administration’s expanded counter-narcotics efforts. However, there has been no indication of any planned land invasion in Venezuela.

🚨 BREAKING: President Trump just released the video of the U.S. military STRIKING a drug boat from Venezuela heading to America carrying ELEVEN Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists, who were kiIIed in the strike

TRUMP: “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces… pic.twitter.com/axQAWxjJhm

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 2, 2025

At the time of writing, Nicolas Maduro’s government has not issued an official response to the strike. However, in reaction to the U.S. deployment of military personnel in the region, Maduro has mobilized troops along Venezuela’s coastline and its border with Colombia. He has also called on Venezuelans to join civilian militias.

Related: Colombia Seizes 1.2 Tons of Cocaine after Denouncing US Strike Against Venezuela Drug Boat.

Tensions between the US and Venezuela continue to rise

While the U.S. maintains that its largest military deployment in the region since the 1989 Panama invasion is focused on counter-narcotics efforts, diplomatic tensions with Venezuela continue to grow.

Maduro has described the deployment as the “Greatest threat to the region in the last 100 years.” During a press conference on Monday with international media, Maduro claimed that “Eight ships with 1,200 missiles and a submarine are targeting Venezuela. It is an extravagant threat. Unjustifiable, immoral, and bloody. Absolutely criminal. Venezuela is facing the greatest threat seen on the continent in the last 100 years.”

During the press conference, Maduro also announced Venezuela was prepared to take arms if it was attacked.

Related: Marco Rubio Visits Mexico and Ecuador as US Tensions with Venezuela Escalate.