In recent weeks, the United States has intensified its military operations in the Caribbean, framing these actions as part of its ongoing campaign against drug trafficking.
Published On 5 Oct 2025
Russia has strongly criticized a recent U.S. military strike on a vessel accused of transporting illegal narcotics near Venezuela’s coast, which resulted in the deaths of four individuals. Moscow has warned that such actions risk escalating tensions throughout the Caribbean basin.
During a phone conversation on Sunday with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the attack, emphasizing that it occurred in international waters and violated established norms.
Following their discussion, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing grave concern over Washington’s increasing military interventions in the Caribbean Sea, highlighting the potential for serious regional repercussions.
“Russia reaffirms its unwavering support and solidarity with Venezuela’s government and people amid these developments,” the statement added.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, asserted that he possesses full authorization to carry out military strikes against vessels off Venezuela’s coast. However, he refrained from elaborating on the scope or limits of this authorization.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) following the Friday strike, Hegseth claimed the targeted boat was carrying “large quantities of narcotics destined for the United States, threatening public health.”
“These operations will persist until the threat to the American populace is eliminated,” he declared.
Hegseth also shared a brief video clip showing a boat navigating the waters before being struck by a barrage of projectiles, culminating in a fiery explosion.
He maintained that intelligence unequivocally identified the vessel as transporting drugs and labeled those aboard as “narco-terrorists.” Yet, he did not disclose specifics regarding the type or volume of narcotics involved, nor did he provide evidence substantiating the claim that the strike targeted drug traffickers.
The United States’ Campaign Against Drug Trafficking Networks
This recent operation marks at least the fourth U.S. military strike in the Caribbean targeting suspected drug smuggling activities, with a reported death toll exceeding 20 individuals.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump informed Congress that his administration classifies members of drug trafficking organizations as “unlawful combatants,” thereby framing the conflict as a “non-international armed conflict.”
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Sunday, Trump claimed that the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean has effectively curtailed drug shipments from South America. “No narcotics are entering through these waters now. We are evaluating the next phase,” he stated, without revealing further details.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the U.S. of attempting to destabilize his government. Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino condemned the U.S. strikes as “an illegal provocation and a direct threat to national security,” particularly following an incident involving U.S. warplanes near Venezuelan borders.
Washington justifies these military actions by citing constitutional war powers, the designation of drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations,” the right to self-defense, and international laws concerning unlawful combatants.
However, some legal scholars and members of Congress argue that employing military force against alleged criminals in international waters circumvents due process, undermines established law enforcement procedures, lacks a solid legal foundation under both U.S. and international law, and is not warranted by the cartels’ terrorist classification.
