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๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ช Venezuela /Conflict & Security

US killed three more 'narcoterrorists' in fourth bombing of the week in Pacific waters

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • U.S. forces conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing its three crew members.
  • The U.S. Southern Command identified the deceased as "narcoterrorists" involved in drug trafficking operations.
  • This marks the fourth such attack in the past week, bringing the total number of deaths in the military campaign to 205.

U.S. forces carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of its three crew members. This operation, detailed by the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) via social media, is part of a broader military campaign ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The command identified the individuals on board as "narcoterrorists" engaged in drug trafficking along known routes in the Eastern Pacific. According to SOUTHCOM, the strike was conducted under the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of Joint Task Force Southern Spear. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was actively involved in drug trafficking operations. The command stated that no U.S. military personnel were injured during the operation. This incident represents the fourth attack of its kind within the last week, with a previous strike on Tuesday resulting in two survivors, which is considered unusual for these operations. The ongoing series of bombings are part of "Operation Southern Lanza," initiated by the U.S. to increase pressure on Nicolรกs Maduro. This campaign preceded the U.S. military's arrest of Maduro in Caracas and his subsequent transfer to a detention center in New York earlier this year. With this latest attack, the total death toll attributed to the military campaign has risen to 205. U.S. forces have conducted over 60 attacks against vessels in both the Pacific and Caribbean regions as part of these efforts.

On May 30, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-traffickingโ€ฆ

โ€” U.S. Southern CommandA tweet from the U.S. Southern Command detailing the lethal kinetic strike.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.