Venezuela drug boat strike: First details about anti-narco terrorist operation revealed

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US military attacked a vessel from Venezuela in the Caribbean

Published on: Sep 3, 2025, 02:54:24 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US military attacked a vessel from Venezuela in the Caribbean, further alleging that it was carrying illegal drugs. The 79-year-old, however, did not get into specifics. He did not say what kind of drugs were being targeted or who was on board.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to board his plane at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead (AFP)

“We just, over the last few minutes, literally shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat,” Trump told reporters. “And there's more where that came from. We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country, coming in for a long time ... These came out of Venezuela.”

He said the Pentagon would soon be providing further details.

Marco Rubio reveals details

Secretary of State Rubio said that the vessel was operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization. The Venezuelan Communications Ministry did not immediately respond to the Trump administration's claims.

“As @potus just announced moments ago, today the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Carribean against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization,” Rubio wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

The United States has deployed warships in the southern Caribbean with the aim of following through on Trump's pledge to crack down on drug cartels. Seven US warships, along with one nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, are either in the region or expected to be there soon, bringing along more than 4,500 sailors and Marines.

While US Coast Guard and Navy ships regularly operate in the Southern Caribbean, the current buildup exceeds the usual deployments in the region.

(With inputs from Reuters)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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