Washington: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has publicly affirmed that the Pentagon holds all necessary authorizations to carry out recent military strikes in the Caribbean targeting vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking near Venezuela. Speaking on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing”, Hegseth stressed that the operations were conducted under a framework allowing the U.S. to engage in what the administration terms a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels, designating them as foreign terrorist organizations.
The latest strike, executed on Friday, resulted in the deaths of four individuals aboard a vessel identified by U.S. authorities as linked to narcotics smuggling. Hegseth insisted that the military’s intervention in international waters is fully legal and justified, emphasizing that any vessel operating in the Caribbean involved in drug trafficking can be treated as a legitimate target under U.S. defense policy. He also suggested that these operations have successfully interrupted the flow of illegal narcotics toward the United States and hinted at a potential expansion of operations in a subsequent phase.
While the Trump administration defends the operations as part of its broader anti-narcotics strategy, critics and legal experts have voiced concerns regarding the lack of transparent evidence connecting the targeted vessels to drug trafficking. Some analysts have pointed out that these military actions bypass traditional law enforcement protocols typically carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard, raising questions about international maritime law and the legality of using lethal force in such circumstances.
The strikes have further strained relations with Venezuela, whose government condemns the actions as a violation of its sovereignty and has denied any involvement in the alleged drug operations. The diplomatic fallout is compounded by Russia’s recent condemnation of similar U.S. interventions in the region, signaling growing international scrutiny of American military tactics in the Caribbean.
Hegseth’s statements reflect the administration’s determination to project a firm stance against transnational narcotics networks, framing military engagement as a critical tool in protecting U.S. borders. As the situation unfolds, international observers remain watchful, assessing both the operational effectiveness of the strikes and their potential geopolitical repercussions in a region already marked by political tensions and complex U.S.-Venezuela relations.