Trump announces that the war against narcoterrorism enters 'Phase II': US will start attacks 'by land'

During a ceremony commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy, President Donald Trump affirmed that the U.S. sank another narco-boat from Venezuela and warned that the U.S. Army is now preparing for ground operations against narco-terrorist groups.

"We hit another boat near Venezuela last night, we are so good at it," Trump said, without giving many details about the operation. He added: "They're not coming in by sea anymore, so now we'll have to start looking about the land because they'll be forced to go by land."

Trump's words may refer, pointedly, to the start of a "Phase II" against regional drug trafficking groups, designated by the United States as terrorist organizations.

"Well, we're gonna stop drug trafficking, and we've done a lot. There's nobody there's nobody coming in on the water. That I can tell you. The water is like there's nobody. There's no drugs coming in on the water, and we'll take a look at what phase two is. They've made big difference," Trump responded to the press before addressing members of the Navy.

Although the president claimed that the U.S. sank another Venezuelan narco-boat, it is unclear whether he was referring to a new operation in the Caribbean Sea or to the announcement made on Friday by the Pentagon, when the Army reported that it had intercepted and destroyed a boat carrying drugs, in which four alleged members of narco-terrorist groups were killed.

So far, the Pentagon has confirmed four sinkings of vessels linked to criminal organizations. At least three of them are linked to the regime of Nicolas Maduro, who leads the Cártel de los Soles and maintains links to the Tren de Aragua. All told, 21 suspected drug traffickers have been reportedly killed in the operations.

Maduro, accused of drug trafficking in the United States, has a $50 million reward for his capture. His second-in-command, Diosdado Cabello, also faces similar charges and a $25 million reward.

Trump's statements come amid an unprecedented military counter-narcotics campaign in the Caribbean. In recent weeks, the U.S. Armed Forces have sunk at least four narco-boats linked to the Cartel de los Soles and Tren de Aragua, while maintaining a military deployment that includes eight warships, a nuclear submarine, F-35 fighters and more than 4,500 troops in the area.

According to sources quoted by NBC News, Washington is evaluating extending the offensive with selective ground and drone attacks against laboratories and drug trafficking leaders inside Venezuelan territory. At the same time, the Trump administration maintains indirect channels of communication with the Chavista regime through mediators in the Middle East, to avoid a direct military escalation while increasing pressure on Maduro and his allies.