The United States has carried out a strike on another alleged drug smuggling vessel on October 17, killing three " terrorists " who were on board, department of war announced on Sunday.
Department of war chief Pete Hegseth gave a warning to the drug-smuggler, saying that the military will hunt these organizations and kill them, just like Al Qaeda.
In a post on X, the department said, "On October 17th, at the direction of President Trump , the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a Designated Terrorist Organization, that was operating in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was traveling along a known narco-trafficking route , and was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics."
"There were three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel during the strike—which was conducted in international waters. All three terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike," he added.
He further claimed that these cartels are the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, using violence, murder and terrorism to impose their will, threaten our national security and poison the US people.
"The United States military will treat these organizations like the terrorists they are—they will be hunted, and killed, just like Al Qaeda," Hegseth said.
This is the seventh attack that US carried out against the "drug" vessel. While Washington insists the operations are targeting narcotics traffickers, evidence linking the victims to drug smuggling has not been publicly provided.
The recent strike brings the total number of people killed in US operations against suspected smuggling vessels since September to at least 29 and if added three dead from this recent strike the total death toll will touch 32.
Department of war chief Pete Hegseth gave a warning to the drug-smuggler, saying that the military will hunt these organizations and kill them, just like Al Qaeda.
In a post on X, the department said, "On October 17th, at the direction of President Trump , the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a Designated Terrorist Organization, that was operating in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was traveling along a known narco-trafficking route , and was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics."
On October 17th, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a Designated Terrorist Organization, that was operating in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility.
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 19, 2025
The… pic.twitter.com/1v7oR879LC
"There were three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel during the strike—which was conducted in international waters. All three terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike," he added.
He further claimed that these cartels are the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, using violence, murder and terrorism to impose their will, threaten our national security and poison the US people.
"The United States military will treat these organizations like the terrorists they are—they will be hunted, and killed, just like Al Qaeda," Hegseth said.
This is the seventh attack that US carried out against the "drug" vessel. While Washington insists the operations are targeting narcotics traffickers, evidence linking the victims to drug smuggling has not been publicly provided.
The recent strike brings the total number of people killed in US operations against suspected smuggling vessels since September to at least 29 and if added three dead from this recent strike the total death toll will touch 32.
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