The US military conducted a strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and for the first time in such operations, survivors have been reported among the crew, a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The official did not provide further details about the incident, which has not been previously reported. The development raises questions about whether the US military provided aid to the survivors and whether they are now in US custody.
The Pentagon, which labels those targeted as 'narcoterrorists', did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prior strikes on suspected drug boats off Venezuela have killed at least 27 people, prompting concerns from legal experts and Democratic lawmakers about adherence to the laws of war.
The Trump administration argues that the US is engaged in a war with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, legitimising the strikes. Videos of previous attacks showed vessels completely destroyed, with no prior reports of survivors.
The strikes occur amid a US military buildup in the Caribbean, including guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and about 6,500 troops, as tensions with Venezuela escalate. On Wednesday, President Trump disclosed authorising covert CIA operations in Venezuela, fuelling speculation of an attempt to topple President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela's UN ambassador, Samuel Moncada, has requested a UN determination that the strikes are illegal and a statement backing Venezuela's sovereignty. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has shifted command of counter-narcotics operations from Southern Command to a taskforce led by the II Marine Expeditionary Force, a surprise move that has drawn criticism from Democratic Senator Jack Reed.
