U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S. forces had attacked a boat carrying drugs to the United States on Tuesday (September 2, 2025), killing 11 “narcoterrorists” from a gang he alleged was controlled by leftist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The attack is the first known operation since a recent surge of US warships to the region to combat cartels.

President Donald Trump said 11 members of the Tren de Aragua cartel were killed in the strike.

The Trump administration has signalled a willingness to use military force against drug cartels.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S. forces had attacked a boat carrying drugs to the United States on Tuesday (September 2, 2025), killing 11 “narcoterrorists” from a…

Trump said 11 gang members were killed in the ‘kinetic strike’ on the alleged drug boat

The vessel was transporting illegal narcotics through international waters to the United States, the president said.

The strike on a boat in the Caribbean follows Trump's designation of the gang as "narcoterrorists" and rising tension with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The US military attack comes as the US surges military presence in the Caribbean, risking an escalation with Venezuela.

Trump said the 'kinetic strike' on 'narcoterrorists' occurred while Tren de Aragua gang members were on international waters. He posted a video of a speedboat filled with people…

This is the moment the US carries out a missile strike on a “drug boat” from Venezuela, killing 11 on board. Night-time footage shared by the White House on Tuesday (2 September)…

Donald Trump claimed that the boat was carrying ‘a lot of drugs’ when it was struck in the Caribbean Sea