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According to a high-ranking defense official, the US armed forces executed a lethal strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific, killing four individuals.

“A US joint task force conducted a deadly attack on a craft linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization in open sea. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. All four male narco-terrorists were eliminated, and no American forces were injured.”

Context and Recent Strikes

The statement follows a day after a declaration regarding a blockade of all targeted oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. That statement on online platforms, the American leader accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes, vowing to increase the military buildup.

Only on Tuesday, the Pentagon said it had conducted strikes on three boats suspected of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, killing eight people. Since 2 September, more than 20 strikes have killed at least 99 individuals, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.

Administration Defends Tactics Amidst Pressure

The government has faced growing pressure to make public video of a 2 September vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has supported its efforts as a successful operation, arguing it has stopped drugs from entering US shores and has pushed back on concerns that it is exceeding the bounds of lawful warfare.

While the administration has said the campaign is about stopping drugs headed to the US, remarks from a senior aide seemed to confirm a broader political objective. In a recently published interview, the senior advisor said the president “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Venezuela's president surrenders or concedes.”

This indicates the series of strikes may be linked to a strategy to remove Venezuela's current leadership.