The U.S. Armed Forces on Thursday released a video showing a new airstrike against a fast vessel in the Eastern Pacific, allegedly used for drug trafficking.
The operation, which left four crewmen dead, comes as pressure grows in Congress to clarify the legality of the Trump Administration’s military offensive in international waters.
New attack on narco-boat
On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and… pic.twitter.com/pqksvxM3HP
– U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 4, 2025
TheU.S. Southern Command confirmed that the operation is part of the “Southern Lance”, the counter-narcotics campaign that the U.S. government has intensified since September and which has already destroyed more than 20 vessels in areas close to Venezuela.
According to the statement, the direct order for the attack was issued by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who is facing increasing scrutiny following revelations of an alleged second bombing intended to eliminate survivors in a previous operation in the Caribbean.
The video posted shows a military aircraft firing at the speedboat at high speed.
Although SOUTHCOM described the deceased as “narco-terrorists,” it did not disclose which criminal organization operated the boat or whether evidence of drugs or weaponry was recovered, which is usually included in post-seizure reports.
Senate investigation and legal questions
NEW: Admiral Frank Bradley arrives on Capitol Hill for a classified briefing on the “double tap” boat strike, where US forces hit a target once, then hit survivors and vessels again as they tried to flee.
He’s the one Trump and Hegseth are trying to throw under the bus to save… pic.twitter.com/KYJfx0BQ3QQ
– Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) December 4, 2025
Earlier Thursday, Admiral Frank Bradley, commander of joint special operations, appeared behind closed doors before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Lawmakers from both parties are seeking to determine whether the Lanza del Sur campaign complies with international law, protocols of engagement and existing rules of engagement, especially in the face of allegations that could constitute extrajudicial killings.
Controversy erupted last week, when The Washington Post reported that, in the Sept. 2 attack in the Caribbean, U.S. forces executed a second bombing specifically targeting two survivors of the first strike.
The Pentagon denied irregularities, but has not publicly clarified whether there are orders allowing additional attacks once the vessel has been neutralized.
Human rights organizations and security experts have warned that, if the pattern of targeting unarmed survivors is confirmed, the U.S. would face international challenges and possible litigation under war treaties.
The international dimension of the conflict
Escalating military action in Venezuela without authorization cuts directly against President Trump’s America-First instinct to keep us out of unnecessary foreign entanglements. Everyone recognizes the devastation socialism brings but, it is not the role of the United States to… pic.twitter.com/HblWu7qSYs
– Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 4, 2025
The Donald Trump administration has insisted that the operations are necessary to stop speedboats transporting cocaine and fentanyl shipments to the United States.
However, the strategy has provoked diplomatic friction with countries in the region.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly denounced in October that one of the boats attacked by the US was actually a Colombian boat with local fishermen, not drug traffickers.
This week, the relatives of one of the deceased filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) for alleged extrajudicial execution.
According to civilian organizations, at least 80 people have been killed in the military campaign, a number that could rise if operations continue in shared maritime zones.
Attacks could expand to Venezuelan territory
Dona y cambia vidas
Tu donativo brinda terapias, esperanza y un futuro sin límites a niños con discapacidad. Haz la diferencia hoy.
In recent statements, President Trump stated that the United States is preparing to launch operations in “enemy territory” against targets linked to Venezuelan drug trafficking, which would elevate the conflict to a level unprecedented in decades.
The Venezuelan government has called the threats an “act of aggression”, while experts warn that a land incursion could trigger an international military incident.
For the Hispanic community in the U.S.-especially Colombians, Venezuelans and Central Americans-this new episode adds uncertainty, as many family members work or travel in coastal areas where the operations are taking place.
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