Watch: US Navy Destroys Venezuelan Drug Boat, Killing 11 People On Board

The United States military has destroyed a small boat in the southern Caribbean that it accused of smuggling drugs from Venezuela, killing 11 people on board.

President Donald Trump confirmed the strike on Tuesday, describing it as the first major military operation since his administration deployed warships to the region last month.

Trump first revealed the attack during an Oval Office press conference. While announcing a new headquarters for US Space Command, he shifted topics to the strike, telling reporters that the US had “just shot out a boat” carrying drugs from Venezuela. He said there were “a lot of drugs in that boat” and claimed the crew was linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which Washington recently declared a terrorist organisation.

Later that day, Trump posted black-and-white drone footage on his Truth Social account showing a speedboat exploding and catching fire. In his post, he said the operation killed 11 “terrorists” and that no American forces were harmed. He warned that anyone considering drug smuggling into the US should “beware.”

The Pentagon has not provided specifics about the strike, including the kind of weapons used, the exact location, or what type of drugs were onboard and in what quantity.

Analysts say that destroying a suspected smuggling vessel instead of seizing it is highly unusual. Adam Isacson, Director for Defense Oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, said that “being suspected of carrying drugs doesn’t carry a death sentence.”

Communications Minister Freddy Nanez suggested the video Trump shared could have been generated with artificial intelligence. Initial checks by Reuters using a manipulation detection tool found no signs of alteration, but the agency said verification is still underway.

https://t.co/o5xOQ6HRFg pic.twitter.com/s9ktAlDQUi

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 2, 2025

Trump alleged that Tren de Aragua was behind the operation and repeated his claims that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro controls the gang. Caracas has denied this, saying the group was dismantled during a 2023 prison raid. Maduro’s government has long accused the US of seeking regime change through military threats.

At least seven American warships and one nuclear-powered fast attack submarine are currently in or heading to the Caribbean. Together they carry more than 4,500 sailors and Marines. Among the ships deployed are USS Fort Lauderdale, USS Iwo Jima, and USS San Antonio. Some vessels are capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles, while others carry helicopters. US officials also confirmed that P-8 surveillance planes have been flying over international waters in the region.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the drugs on board the destroyed vessel were likely headed to Caribbean countries such as Trinidad rather than the US mainland. He added that Trump was determined to keep “on offense” against cartels and drug traffickers.

The Venezuelan government has increased its coastal defenses in response to the US buildup. On Monday, Maduro warned that Venezuela would declare itself “a republic in arms” if attacked. He accused Trump of using military pressure as part of an effort to topple his government.

The US recently doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of ties to drug trafficking and criminal organisations. However, a declassified US National Intelligence Council report earlier this year said Maduro’s government “probably does not have a policy of cooperating with” Tren de Aragua. The report added that he was “not directing” the gang’s operations in the US, though Venezuela provided a permissive environment for the group.

References: Reuters, Aljazeera

Source: Maritime Shipping News