On Saturday, the United States government confirmed the authenticity of a video depicting an attack by American forces on a submarine suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea, near Venezuela's coastline. President Donald Trump stated that the operation successfully prevented "a massive shipment of fentanyl and other illegal drugs" from entering the United States.
In a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump described it as "an honor to destroy a huge submarine headed towards the U.S. on a notorious drug trafficking route." The video, released by the White House and captured by a military drone, shows the precise moment when an aircraft launches missiles at a semi-submersible vessel, causing it to explode within seconds.
According to Trump, U.S. intelligence verified that the vessel primarily carried fentanyl, a synthetic drug heavily implicated in the current overdose crisis in the country. "At least 25,000 Americans could have died if that submarine had reached our shores," he asserted.
The operation was executed Thursday night, in coordination with the United States Southern Command, near the Venezuelan coast. The attack resulted in the deaths of two drug traffickers, while two others survived and were identified as citizens of Ecuador and Colombia. Trump mentioned that these individuals "will be repatriated to their home countries for detention and prosecution."
"There were no American casualties during the operation. Under my administration, the United States will not tolerate narco-terrorists trafficking drugs over land or sea," Trump emphasized in his official statement.
This operation marks the first confirmed destruction of a suspected drug-trafficking submarine by U.S. forces in international Caribbean waters. Since September, at least six similar attacks on suspicious vessels have been reported in the region, though without survivors.
The Pentagon has not disclosed details about the weaponry used, but military sources quoted by CBS News indicated it was "a precision strike executed by an MQ-9 Reaper drone," launched from a base in Florida. The incident occurs amid escalating military tensions between the United States and Venezuela, following Trump's authorization for the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuelan territory under the pretext of "combating drug trafficking and transnational organized crime."
The Nicolás Maduro government condemned the action as "direct aggression" and has threatened to declare a state of emergency in coastal areas. "We will not allow violations of our sovereignty," declared Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López in a statement broadcast on state television.
Since August, the Southern Command has increased its presence in the Caribbean with destroyers, nuclear submarines, and F-35 aircraft as part of a strategy to curb the flow of drugs from South America. U.S. officials claim that "a significant portion of maritime traffic" is linked to the Cartel of the Suns, a network that Washington alleges operates within the Venezuelan military.
U.S. Military Actions in the Caribbean
What was the target of the U.S. military operation in the Caribbean?
The U.S. military targeted a submarine suspected of transporting drugs, including fentanyl, in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela.
What were the outcomes of the operation?
The operation resulted in the destruction of the submarine, the deaths of two drug traffickers, and the capture of two survivors who will be repatriated for prosecution.
How has Venezuela responded to the U.S. operation?
The Venezuelan government condemned the operation as "direct aggression" and threatened to declare a state of emergency in its coastal regions.