Donald Trump’s administration has carried out at least 29 deadly attacks against ships it says were involved in drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific since early September, killing at least 105 people, according to official US figures.
The latest US strike, confirmed on Monday (December 22), has intensified scrutiny from lawmakers and rights groups who question both the legal basis and the evidence behind the campaign.
What happened in the last American strike?
The U.S. Southern Command says it has carried out another attack on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean believed to be smuggling drugs. One person was killed.
In a post on social media, Southern Command said: “Intelligence has confirmed that a low profile vessel has been navigating known narcotics smuggling routes in the Eastern Pacific and has been involved in narcotics trafficking operations.
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No evidence has been published to support this claim.
Video footage shared by the command shows water splashing near the vessel before flames engulf its rear. In the final moments, the ship appears to be disabled and adrift, with a large fire burning beside it.
Earlier videos of the strikes released by the US military showed vessels exploding in the middle of the sea, suggesting missile or missile strikes. Some of the footage appeared to show projectile-like objects descending on the boats.
No. DateLocationKilledNotes11.-2. September 2025Caribbean – Venezuela11First reported strike; the ensuing attack reportedly killed survivors clinging to the wreckage.2September 15, 2025 Caribbean – Venezuela3Trump shared a video of the explosion, claiming the cargo was “sprayed all over the ocean.”3September 19, 2025Caribbean3The Dominican Republic later confirmed that cocaine was being sourced in the area.4October 3, 2025 Caribbean – Venezuela4 First strike after US formally notifies Congress of “armed conflict” with cartels.5October 14, 2025Caribbean – Venezuela6 Lawmakers have expressed concern over the death toll, which now stands at 27.616 October 2025Caribbean2 The two survivors were captured and later repatriated to Colombia and Ecuador.7October 17, 2025Caribbean3Vessel is said to be linked to the Colombian rebel group ELN.8October 21, 2025Eastern Pacific2First strike conducted in the Pacific Ocean.922 October 2025 Eastern Pacific Defense Secretary3 Hegseth vowed that the strikes would continue “day by day”.10October 24, 2025Caribbean – Venezuela6First operation conducted at night; targeted vessel allegedly associated with the Tren de Aragua gang.11–1327 October 2025Eastern Pacific14Three strikes on four vessels in one day.14October 29, 2025Eastern Pacific4 The total number of people killed in this strike has reached 61.15November 1, 2025Caribbean3Hegseth said the individuals were treated “EXACTLY the way we treated Al Qaeda”.16November 4, 2025Eastern Pacific2Hegseth vowed to “find and destroy EVERY vessel”.17November 6, 2025 Caribbean 3 18–199 November 2025Eastern Pacific6 Two separate attacks on two vessels were carried out.2010 November 2025Caribbean4 This brought the total number of reported deaths to 80 people.21November 15, 2025Eastern Pacific3 First strike after “Operation Southern Spear” was formally unveiled.22December 4, 2025 The Eastern Pacific4Southern Command released a video of the vessel strike.23–2515 December 2025Eastern Pacific8 Three vessels were hit in a single day.2617 December 2025 Eastern Pacific4 27–2818 December 2025Eastern Pacific5 Two strikes on two vessels.2922 December 2025Eastern Pacific1 Last strike as of 23 December 2025.
Why is the US carrying out these strikes?
The Trump administration says it is now in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and says military force is necessary to stem the flow of narcotics into the United States and increase pressure on Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has repeatedly claimed Maduro’s government is complicit in drug trafficking and has described the campaign as part of a broader effort to dismantle what Washington calls “narco-terrorist networks.”
Maduro has denied the accusations and insists the US military build-up is aimed at removing him from power.
How extensive is the US military build-up near Venezuela?
The campaign was accompanied by the largest US naval deployment in the region in several generations. Since August, the Pentagon has sent guided-missile destroyers, amphibious assault ships, a naval submarine carrying cruise missiles and F-35 fighter jets to the Caribbean and waters off South America.
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By mid-November, the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford brought the total US force presence to about 12,000 troops on nearly a dozen Navy ships—an operation Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called “Operation Southern Spear.”
Trump has also repeatedly said ground operations are being considered.
Timeline: US military attacks on alleged drug boats and escalation in Venezuela
January
Donald Trump signs an executive order paving the way for drug cartels and criminal organizations to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua.
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US intelligence agencies dispute Trump’s claim that Nicolás Maduro’s government coordinates drug trafficking and illegal migration to the US.
February
The Trump administration has formally designated eight Latin American criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations — a classification usually reserved for groups such as al-Qaeda or the Islamic State.
August
The US military has deployed three guided-missile destroyers off the coast of Venezuela.
Within weeks, the build-up will expand to include three amphibious assault ships, other naval vessels and roughly 6,000 sailors and marines.
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F-35 fighter jets are deployed to Puerto Rico in September, while a submarine armed with cruise missiles is operating off South America.
September
The US carried out its first deadly attack on a ship Trump says was operated by Tren de Aragua, killing 11 people. Trump released a video showing the vessel exploding.
Democratic senators are warning the White House that the strike has “no legitimate legal justification.”
The second strike kills three people. Trump claims cocaine and fentanyl were dispersed over seas, but no images released.
A third strike killed three more, with Trump claiming that the Secret Service had confirmed drug trafficking.
Lawmakers and human rights groups are beginning to question the legality of the campaign.
October
Declaring drug cartels “illegal combatants,” Trump says the U.S. is now in “armed conflict” with them — a sweeping declaration of the president’s war powers.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered several strikes, each killing two to six people, expanding operations to the eastern Pacific.
Senate Republicans are blocking legislation requiring congressional approval for more strikes.
Trump authorizes the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and says ground operations are being considered.
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Commander of US Southern Command announces early retirement amid turmoil.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is ordered to the region.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk calls for an investigation and warns against extrajudicial executions.
By the end of the month, 14 strikes had been carried out, killing dozens.
November
The strike campaign intensifies, with several attacks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Venezuelan authorities have launched a “massive” military mobilization in response to the US buildup.
The USS Gerald R. Ford arrives in the Caribbean, bringing total U.S. forces in the region to about 12,000 personnel on nearly a dozen ships as part of Operation Southern Spear.
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Signaling openness to talks with Maduro, Trump says: “I’ll talk to anybody.”
By mid-November, the number of strikes would reach 21 and dozens more killed.
December
Lawmakers have received declassified footage from the September strike that allegedly shows survivors killed in the ensuing attack.
Adam Smith MP described the video as disturbing, describing the survivors as “clinging to the bow of the overturned boat – until the missiles come and kill them”.
The US has seized an oil tanker carrying 2 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, which Attorney General Pam Bondi calls part of an illegal network linked to terror. Venezuela calls it “international piracy”.
A series of strikes between December 15 and 18 killed at least 17 people.
Trump ordered a blockade of “sanctioned oil tankers” entering and leaving Venezuela.
The US Coast Guard is pursuing vessels linked to Venezuela’s so-called “dark fleet”.
By 22 December, the campaign had achieved 29 known strikes, with the confirmed death toll rising to at least 105 people.
Why are human rights groups concerned about US strikes?
Human rights organizations say the strikes amount to extrajudicial executions, especially given the lack of publicly released intelligence.
On 31 October, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for an investigation. His office said: “The US must stop such attacks and take all necessary measures to prevent extrajudicial killings of people aboard these boats.”
Concerns deepened in December after lawmakers were shown classified footage of the September strike, in which survivors clung to a disabled boat before being killed in a subsequent attack.
Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the images were disturbing:
“Basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of an overturned and defunct boat floating in the water – until the rockets come and kill them.”
How did Venezuela react?
Venezuela has accused the US led by Donald Trump of aggression and piracy. After the U.S. seized an oil tanker earlier this month with about 2 million barrels of oil, Attorney General Pam Bondi said it was part of an “illegal oil transportation network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.”
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Caracas rejected the claims, saying the seizure “constitutes flagrant theft and an act of international piracy”.
Venezuela has since launched what it described as a “massive” military mobilization and warned it would defend its sovereignty.
