US military strikes alleged drug boat, Trump says, '11 terrorists killed'
President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform Tuesday that he ordered U.S. military forces to conduct a strike against an alleged drug boat that he claimed was connected to a South American gang.
The president said the "kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility."
The attack took place while the boat was "at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States," according to Trump.
"The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action" he said.
"TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of [Venezuelan President] Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere," Trump said.
Asked whether similar operations were planned while there were U.S. vessels in the area, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said "No one should be surprised" if there were.
"That's why they're there on a counter drug mission, and they're going to continue to operate. As far as specifics and future operations, I have to refer you to the Pentagon on that,” Rubio said as he was departing for a trip to Mexico and Ecuador.
“Suffice it to say that the president is going to be on offense against drug cartels, drug trafficking in the United States. It destabilizes not just the country, but the entire Caribbean Basin,” he said. So the president's been very clear that he's going to use the full power of America, the full might of the United States, to take on and eradicate these drug cartels, no matter where they're operating from.”
Trump also posted a video of the strike on his social media platform.
Trump teased this announcement during his Oval Office event Tuesday afternoon.
The Pentagon confirmed in a statement the military has conducted a “precision strike against a drug vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.”
Last week, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News that eight Navy ships were being assigned to U.S. Southern Command to help counter drug cartels.
