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As stated by US Defense Secretary the Pentagon's top official, a US strike eliminated four individuals during a mission against a boat allegedly carrying illegal drugs in international waters close to the Venezuelan coast.

The strike occurred shortly after US officials notified Congress regarding the US was entering a "non-international armed conflict" with narco-trafficking organizations.

It represents at least the fourth extraordinary and disputed operation by US forces beyond American waters over the past month.

Details of the Strike

The defense secretary stated that the boat was struck as it was carrying substantial amounts of narcotics bound for the United States, which he described as poisoning the people.

“Intelligence assessments definitively verified the vessel’s involvement in drug trafficking, identifying those aboard as narco-terrorists using established smuggling routes,” he declared in a social media post.

Hegseth further asserted that the boat had links to Designated Terrorist Organizations, a label introduced through a private document sent to lawmakers.

Legal and Political Background

US officials have informed Congress regarding its view that drug trafficking organizations as “non-state armed groups” whose activities smuggling drugs represent an armed assault on the US.

This notification was accompanied by a classified briefing for members of the Senate armed services committee, held earlier this week.

White House representatives attempted to justify the strikes under the president’s constitutional authority, permitting military action for self-protection in limited engagements.

Earlier Strikes and International Response

Before the latest strike, US forces carried out attacks against three vessels in Caribbean waters, which led to 17 fatalities and causing global condemnation.

The defense secretary reiterated that such operations “will continue” until “the attacks on the American people are over”.

Governmental Restructuring and Supervision

Officials has reportedly empowered a White House security body to function separately inside the executive branch, a shift unlike prior governments which had it reporting to the security chief.

This restructuring has influenced the coordination and implementation of these military actions, as certain authorities being informed about operations only hours before their execution.

Despite official claims, legal experts have noted that labeling trafficking groups as terrorist entities does not grant additional authority for using lethal force absent concrete evidence connecting them with a foreign government.

So far, the administration has yet to offer proof concerning the supposed infiltration of the Venezuelan government.