Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that U.S. military forces executed a “lethal” strike against a drug vessel in the southern Caribbean. Rubio stated, “As @potus just announced moments ago, today the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.” Details about the vessel’s operators remain undisclosed. The operation followed the U.S. confirmation last month of increased naval presence near Venezuela, including the deployment of three warships to combat drug cartels. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denounced the move as an “extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.” The Trump administration has accused Maduro’s government of collaborating with drug cartels to smuggle narcotics into the U.S. President Trump described the action as the military “shooting out” a drug-carrying boat from Venezuela. The U.S. has not indicated plans for land incursions, but Maduro’s government has mobilized troops along Venezuela’s coast and border with Colombia, urging citizens to join a civilian militia. Maduro claims the U.S. fabricates a drug-trafficking narrative to destabilize his administration, citing a UN report stating only 5% of Colombian cocaine passes through Venezuela. Venezuela’s government did not comment on Trump’s announcement.