President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he ordered a military strike against a vessel in the Caribbean suspected of transporting illegal drugs. This marks the third such operation this month. In a post on his social media platform, Trump stated, "On my orders, the Secretary of War ordered a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization conducting narcotrafficking in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility."

Trump claimed that intelligence confirmed the ship was involved in drug trafficking and was traveling along a known route used for narcotrafficking. He described the operation as an effort to prevent the vessel from "poisoning Americans." According to Trump, the strike resulted in the deaths of three individuals he referred to as "narcoterrorists" while the vessel was in international waters.

This latest strike follows similar operations on September 2 and September 15, which were also aimed at curbing fentanyl trafficking. Trump stated that these three strikes have collectively resulted in 17 fatalities. He linked the vessels to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

Venezuelan officials have disputed the U.S. claims, stating that the ship targeted on September 2 was not carrying gang members. Critics, including legal experts, have raised concerns about the legality of these strikes, arguing that they may violate international law by executing individuals without due process or evidence of an immediate threat.

In response to these military actions, Democratic Senators Adam Schiff of California and Tim Kaine of Virginia introduced a resolution under the War Powers Act aimed at halting U.S. military strikes against vessels from Venezuela. Schiff emphasized the constitutional authority of Congress, stating, "Congress alone holds the power to declare war. While we share with the executive branch the imperative of preventing and deterring drugs from reaching our shores, blowing up boats without any legal justification risks dragging the United States into another war and provoking unjustified hostilities against our own citizens."

The Pentagon has not provided further details about the latest strike, and inquiries have been directed to the White House, which has not yet responded.