On September 2, 2025, the United States military executed a precision strike in international waters of the southern Caribbean, destroying a vessel allegedly operated by members of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua and resulting in eleven fatalities.

This represents the first known lethal military engagement following a major deployment of U.S. naval assets to the region.

President "Donald Trump" confirmed that no U.S. personnel were harmed and characterised the operation as directed at a narco-terrorist organisation smuggling illicit narcotics toward the United States.

He shared overhead footage appearing to show a speedboat engulfed in flames.

Secretary of State "Marco Rubio" affirmed the strike’s significance in the broader campaign against drug trafficking, pointing to the group's links to Venezuela and the threat posed to regional stability.

The operation follows an unprecedented U.S. naval buildup in the area, including multiple warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, and over four thousand sailors and marines deployed to the southern Caribbean.

Venezuela’s government strongly condemned the strike, challenging the authenticity of the video footage and denouncing U.S. actions as provocative.

Independent review found no evidence of manipulation in the footage, though full verification remains ongoing.

Tren de Aragua was officially designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the U.S. in February amid widespread accusations of involvement in drug trafficking, human trafficking, murder, and other violent crimes across the Western Hemisphere.

The strike underscores the Trump administration’s assertive stance in treating transnational criminal networks as national security threats warranting direct military intervention.