More Than A Dozen Killed As Us Attacks Boats In Pacific - Beritaja

Fourteen group person died aft the US launched its latest attacks connected boats successful the eastbound Pacific Ocean, which it says were transporting forbidden narcotics to the country.

It brings the full number of dormant from 13 airstrikes to 57, amid expanding tensions betwixt the US and the governments of some Colombia and Venezuela.

A 30-second video posted connected X by the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, showed 4 vessels exploding connected Monday connected what he said were the orders of US President Donald Trump.

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One of the boats appears to beryllium piled precocious pinch packages.

Mr Hegseth, who is pinch Mr Trump connected a circuit of Asia, said US forces carried retired "three lethal kinetic strikes connected 4 vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations (DTO) trafficking narcotics".

They were identified arsenic supplier boats by US intelligence, he said, travelling connected "known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics".

A full of 14 "male narco-terrorists" onboard were killed, he said, "with 1 survivor", who was rescued by Mexican authorities.

Narco-terrorists "have killed much Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will beryllium treated the same. We will way them, we will web them, and then, we will hunt and termination them," he added.

The information and whereabouts of the subsister are not known.

It is the latest successful a bid of attacks connected boats the US says person been carrying narcotics successful some the Pacific and Caribbean, and comes arsenic Washington continues its subject build-up successful the latter, deploying guided-missile destroyers, F-35 combatant jets, a atomic submarine and thousands of troops.

The management has ordered the USS Gerald Ford craft bearer and its supporting onslaught group to the region, and it is expected to scope the Caribbean successful the coming weeks.

Mr Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of starring a drug-trafficking organisation, which he denies.

Mr Maduro has many times claimed that the US wants to thrust him from power, while immoderate successful Venezuela judge the subject build-up is aimed astatine destabilising his authorities and yet forcing authorities alteration successful Caracas.

Mr Trump has besides authorised the CIA to behaviour covert operations successful Venezuela.

The Pentagon has provided small accusation about immoderate of the strikes, including the amount of narcotics the boats allegedly carried and the identities of those killed.

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Democrats successful Washington person asked whether the attacks comply pinch the laws of war, while ineligible experts person asked why the US Coast Guard, the main US maritime rule enforcement agency, hasn't been progressive and why different efforts to extremity the shipments person not been tried first.

Venezuela's authorities says the strikes are illegal, magnitude to murder, and are acts of aggression.

In August, the Trump management doubled its reward for accusation starring to Maduro's apprehension to $50 cardinal (£38m).