US executes its first lethal attack on a narco-boat since the capture of Nicolás Maduro

The U.S. military reported Friday that it executed a lethal attack on a suspected drug trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific. The operation left two people dead and one survivor, the U.S. Southern Command said.

The raid marks the first such action since a raid earlier this month that culminated in the capture of Venezuela's dictator, Nicolas Maduro.

Direct order and target confirmed

The Southern Command indicated that the operation was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear, under orders from Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. U.S. intelligence determined that the vessel was transiting routes commonly used for drug trafficking and was linked to organizations classified by Washington as designated terrorists.

Upon impact, two of the occupants were killed, and a third person survived. Military authorities noted that once the attack was over, the U.S. Coast Guard was immediately notified to activate the appropriate search and rescue protocols.

Images released by the military

As part of the official information, the military released a video showing the vessel moving through the water before it was hit and engulfed in flames. The material was presented as visual evidence of the operation carried out in the waters of the eastern Pacific.