Three individuals were killed in a U.S. military strike on a boat allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela. President Donald Trump announced the operation on social media, stating it was carried out on his orders.

"The strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in international waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.," Trump wrote. He emphasized that the drug trafficking cartels pose a significant threat to U.S. national security and interests.

This latest strike took place on Monday, nearly two weeks after a previous military action that resulted in the deaths of 11 people aboard a similar vessel. The Trump administration has characterized these strikes as necessary measures to combat the flow of drugs into the United States.

However, the legality of these military actions has come under scrutiny. Several senators, both Democrats and Republicans, have expressed concerns about the administration's justification for using military force in what they view as a law enforcement matter. They worry it may represent an overreach of executive authority.

The administration has claimed self-defense as a legal basis for the strikes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the drug cartels "pose an immediate threat" to the nation. U.S. officials indicated that the earlier strike targeted Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang designated as a terrorist organization. They also suggested that more military actions against drug targets are anticipated as the U.S. aims to "wage war" on these cartels.

Trump did not clarify whether Tren de Aragua was the target of the latest strike. The Venezuelan government has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro criticized the U.S. government during a press conference, accusing it of using drug trafficking allegations as a pretext for military operations aimed at regime change in Venezuela. He also condemned a recent operation involving U.S. Marines raiding a Venezuelan fishing boat, questioning the motives behind such actions.

"What were they looking for? Tuna? What were they looking for? A kilo of snapper?" Maduro asked. He suggested that the U.S. was seeking a military incident.

Rubio reiterated the U.S. stance that Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela but rather the head of a drug cartel. He stated, "We're not going to have a cartel, operating or masquerading as a government, operating in our own hemisphere."

Following the first military strike, U.S. officials indicated a commitment to using military resources to target cartels that threaten America. Reports have suggested that the boat involved in the recent strike was turning back to shore when it was hit, but Rubio expressed uncertainty about that detail.

He added, "What needs to start happening is some of these boats need to get blown up. We can't live in a world where all of a sudden they do a U-turn and so we can't touch them anymore."

This situation continues to develop, and further updates are expected.