US strike on drug-carrying vessel from Venezuela leaves 11 dead

The US carried out the strike in the southern Caribbean area.

The targeted members in the vessel were reportedly belonging to Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Announcing the incident on Truth Social, Donald Trump wrote: "Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility."

"TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere," he said.

He said the strike occurred when the vessel was in international waters.

" The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States," Trump said.

"The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action," Trump said.

He said no US forces were killed in the strike.

It is still not clear what kind of drug the vessel was carrying.

What do we know about Tren de Aragua?

On January 20, 2025, President Donnald J. Trump signed the Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists Executive Order, designating Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, reads the US Homeland Security website.