Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Sep 16: US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that American military forces have carried out a second strike in two weeks against a suspected drug trafficking vessel originating from Venezuela. The strike, conducted in international waters, reportedly killed three individuals aboard the targeted boat.

Taking to social media, Trump stated, “This morning, on my orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.” He emphasized that these cartels represent a direct threat to U.S. national security, foreign policy, and strategic interests.

Trump also shared an “unclassified” video showing a boat engulfed in flames at sea, though the exact location was not disclosed.

The strike follows an earlier operation on September 2, where U.S. forces attacked a vessel allegedly linked to the Tren de Aragua (TDA), a Venezuelan criminal group. That action left 11 people dead. Trump at the time labelled all the casualties as “positively identified TDA narcoterrorists.”

In response to the initial strike, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the U.S. action, calling it illegal and baseless. He accused Washington of using fabricated drug trafficking claims as a cover for regime change efforts, asserting that Venezuela neither cultivates coca nor produces cocaine.

While Venezuela has yet to respond officially to this latest strike, Maduro on Monday blamed the U.S. for cutting off diplomatic communication channels. He claimed Washington's “threats and blackmail” had damaged bilateral relations, though he maintained that Venezuela continues to uphold peace despite what he described as ongoing U.S. provocations.

Maduro also reiterated Venezuela’s right to defend itself against political, diplomatic, or military aggression.