By Kit Maher

(CNN) — The US military conducted yet another strike on a boat alleged to be trafficking drugs off the coast of Venezuela, killing six people on board, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday.

Trump said that the vessel was “affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization” but did not name any organization or provide evidence to back up the assertion.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks, and was transiting along a known DTO route,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “The strike was conducted in International Waters, and six male narcoterrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the strike. No U.S. Forces were harmed.”

This is at least the fifth time the US has announced such a strike; the Pentagon announced another one in early October.

The latest strike is likely to further inflame tensions between the US and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has indicated that he is preparing to declare a state of emergency to protect his country in the event of an attack by the US military. It is also likely to fuel continued questions about the legality of the US effort.

The administration has defended the strikes. In a letter to Congress, the Pentagon said Trump had determined that the US is in an “armed conflict” with the drug cartels his administration has designated as terrorist organizations, and that smugglers for the cartels are “unlawful combatants,” CNN has previously reported.

But even among some conservatives, there has been unease, and at least one boat struck by the US military had turned around before it was hit, CNN has reported, indicating it did not pose an imminent threat to the US or US forces.

Earlier this month, Republican Sen. Rand Paul announced that he was cosponsoring a War Powers resolution that would stop the president from being able to unilaterally conduct such strikes.

“Blowing up boats without due process could risk unintended escalation and trigger regime change efforts — an approach history has repeatedly shown to fail. That’s why I’m co-sponsoring a War Powers resolution to stop it. Congress must reassert its authority,” Paul said on X.

Paul also publicly criticized Vice President JD Vance last month after he celebrated one of the strikes.

“What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial,” Paul said in response to the vice president.

In comments at the White House during an event with Argentinian President Javier Milei on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted the strikes as he advocated for building economic bridges with other nations.

“We’re using our economic strength to create peace,” Bessent said. “It is much better to form an economic bridge with our allies, people who want to do the right thing, than have to — shoot at Narco gun boats.”

Trump also posted an unclassified video of the latest strike.

This story has been updated with additional details.

The-CNN-Wire
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