VIDEO: U.S. Military Strikes Suspected Drug Vessel as Warships Gather in the Caribbean

MALLORY SHELBOURNE AND SAM LAGRONE
SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 5:15 PM - UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 5:56 PM


A go-fast narcotics transport operating in international waters before being hit by a U.S. military ‘precision strike’ on Sept. 2, 2025. DoD Image

This story has been updated to include additional information and video of the strike.

THE PENTAGON – U.S. forces performed a “precision strike” on a suspected transnational drug boat that killed the 11 people aboard, the Defense Department and President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday.

First announced by Trump during a press event at the White House, a senior defense official confirmed the strike in a statement. Trump then published video of the strike on Truth Social, saying the strike targeted the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization.

“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in international waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!”

The State Department declared the Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization in February.

“As the president announced today, we can confirm the U.S. military conducted a precision strike against a drug vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization. More information will be made available at a later time,” reads the senior defense official’s statement.

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