The US military is holding two individuals aboard a Navy ship in the Caribbean after two others on their vessel were killed in a targeted US strike, sources told news agencies on Friday.
The US has conducted several strikes on what it calls “narcoterrorist” vessels off the coast of Venezuela since September, with US President Donald Trump accusing Venezuela’s President Nicholas Maduro of heading a global drug cartel.
The two individuals taken into custody on Friday are the first to have survived such US attacks.
Reuters cited sources familiar with the situation Friday as saying the Navy deployed helicopters to rescue the two survivors.
The president also acknowledged this week that he has authorized covert CIA operations inside Venezuela — with Caracas accusing the US of seeking a “regime change.”
Two people on a Navy ship in the Caribbean are being detained by the US military after two other people on the ship were killed in a targeted US strike, sources told news agencies Friday.
Since September, the United States has launched multiple attacks on what it describes as “narcoterrorist” ships off the coast of Venezuela. US President Donald Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro of being the leader of a global drug cartel.
Friday’s arrests of the two people make them the first to survive such US attacks.
During his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington on Friday, Trump sat with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and claimed that the strike had targeted “a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs.”. “,”.
The Navy used helicopters to rescue the two survivors, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke to Reuters on Friday.
Why are the US “narco” boats attacking?
With the Trump administration claiming to have killed 28 people in the process, Thursday’s attack is thought to be the sixth US attack on “narco” boats off the coast of Venezuela. Experts are questioning whether extrajudicial killings of this kind are legal, even if the targets are the people the administration claims they killed.
The Pentagon, State Department, and White House have not offered any proof to back up the US charges.
As Trump escalates tensions with Venezuela, the United States has made a significant redeployment of military equipment to the Caribbean, including fighter jets and stealth bombers.
This week, the president also admitted to authorizing secret CIA operations inside Venezuela, which Caracas blamed on the US’s “regime change” agenda. “.
Trump responded, “He has offered everything, you’re right,” when asked by a White House reporter on Friday if it was accurate to say that Maduro had made overtures intended to reduce tensions. “.”.
Trump responded, “You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f— around with the United States,” when asked why on live television. “.
This week, Venezuela called on the UN Security Council to reiterate its support for Venezuelan sovereignty and offer an opinion on the legality of recent US actions.
Rana Taha served as the editor.
