Hegseth says boat strike is start of campaign against Venezuelan cartels

(NYT) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned in an appearance on “Fox &Friends” on Wednesday that a deadly U.S. military strike on a boat officials said was carrying drugs in the Caribbean was the start of a campaign against Venezuelan cartels that President Donald Trump has blamed for bringing fentanyl into the United States.

Hegseth said officials “knew exactly who was in that boat” and “exactly what they were doing,” although he did not offer evidence. “President Trump is willing to go on offense in ways that others have not seen,” he added.

Trump shared more details about the strike in a Truth Social post Tuesday afternoon.

“Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike a

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