The United States military has conducted another deadly strike on a vessel it claims was involved in drug trafficking, marking a significant escalation in President Donald Trump's campaign against narcotics networks linked to Venezuela.
Latest Strike Details and Escalating Campaign
According to a statement from U.S. Southern Command on Monday 30 December 2025, a military aircraft targeted and destroyed an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The command stated that intelligence confirmed the vessel was using known trafficking routes and was engaged in illicit operations.
The attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals, described by the U.S. as "male narco-terrorists." No American personnel were harmed. The Pentagon released grainy black-and-white footage showing an explosion on the water but did not provide independent evidence to substantiate its claims about the boat's activities.
This incident represents the 30th such strike since September. Based on Associated Press reporting, the cumulative death toll from these operations has now reached at least 107 people.
Land Strikes and Covert Operations Authorised
The campaign has recently expanded beyond maritime targets. In a radio interview last Friday, President Trump alluded to a land-based strike on Christmas Eve, targeting what he called a "big plant or a big facility" used by ships involved in drug trafficking.
These comments align with a CNN report detailing an alleged CIA drone strike on a remote Venezuelan coastal port facility, believed to be used by the Tren de Aragua gang. Sources told CNN the facility was empty at the time, causing no casualties. The CIA has not acknowledged the operation.
President Trump has explicitly threatened a wider land campaign, stating in early December, "I think you’re going to find that this is war. And very soon we’re going to start doing it on land too." Reports also indicate he has authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, while the U.S. has begun seizing sanctioned oil tankers off the Venezuelan coast.
Mounting Criticism and Legal Challenges
The Trump administration insists it is engaged in a justified armed conflict against drug trafficking organisations. However, the strategy faces fierce criticism both internationally and domestically.
The government of Venezuela, which denies collusion with traffickers, accuses the U.S. of using the strikes as a pretext to force President Nicolás Maduro from power. Meanwhile, human rights groups and legal experts allege the attacks on suspected drug vessels may constitute war crimes, arguing they often target noncombatants without due process.
Criticism intensified this month when the Pentagon announced it would not release the full video of a prior strike, which allegedly showed the military killing two survivors of an initial attack. This has fuelled concerns over transparency and accountability in a campaign that shows no signs of abating.
