Trump says US forces just shot down drug ship leaving Venezuela

Washington [US], September 3: US President Donald Trump said his country's forces had 'destroyed' a drug boat and killed 11 people from Venezuela.
AFP news agency on September 3 quoted US President Donald Trump as saying that the country's forces attacked a drug ship from Venezuela and "destroyed it", a move that could mark a significant escalation in tensions between Caracas and Washington.
He said the US military killed 11 people in the attack, the first since the US government deployed warships to the southern Caribbean last month.
"Just a few minutes ago, we actually took down a boat, a drug boat, and there was a lot of drugs on it. And there's more. We have a tremendous amount of drugs coming into the country, and it's been going on for a long time... It's coming from Venezuela," Trump told reporters at the White House.
He then shared on the Truth Social platform a video that appeared to be drone footage, showing a speedboat at sea exploding and then bursting into flames.
"The strike killed 11 terrorists. No US service members were injured in the strike," he said.
Additionally, Mr. Trump added that the US military had identified the crew as belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang, an organization that the US designated as a terrorist organization in February.
The US president repeated allegations that Tren de Aragua is controlled by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which Caracas denies.
Venezuelan authorities have repeatedly insisted that Tren de Aragua no longer operates in the country after they dismantled the gang in a prison raid in 2023.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the drugs were probably headed to Trinidad or another Caribbean country. "Suffice it to say the president is going to take a proactive approach to drug cartels and drug trafficking in the United States," he told reporters.
Venezuela did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters. The Pentagon has not released details of the attack, including the type of drugs on board, the quantity, or how the attack was carried out.
Seven US warships and a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine are in the region or are expected to be in the southern Caribbean soon, carrying more than 4,500 sailors and Marines.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper