The Trump Administration continues to escalate its so-called drug war with more strikes against alleged trafficking boats and military saber rattling, especially against Venezuela. Today, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced three strikes on four boats in the Eastern Pacific, claiming a total of 14 lives but leaving 1 survivor, who has been turned over to Mexican authorities. “The four targeted vessels were known by the intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics,” Hegseth claimed in a posting on X.
The Oct. 28 strikes come amidst military escalation. On Oct. 27, for the third time since Oct. 15, U.S. planes flew a “bomber attack demonstration” off the coast of Venezuela. This time it was at least two B-1Bs from Grand Forks, North Dakota. They proceeded south with their transponders on, open-source flight-tracking data showed, reported Air & Space Forces Magazine. The B-1s air-refueled over Florida before heading farther south. Navy P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft were also active in the region at the same time.
In addition, armed AC-130J Ghostrider II gunships have been operating out of Puerto Rico, along with MQ-9 Reaper drones. Both AC-130s and MQ-9s have been photographed with live Hellfire missiles, and the Marines’ F-35s have been carrying live air-to-air missiles in photos released by the U.S. military, including during their mission with the B-52s.
