6 dead after US raid in Caribbean targeting alleged drug smuggling boat: Hegseth

The US military carried out its 10th raid on a suspected drug ship overnight, killing six people and bringing the death toll in the campaign against drug cartels to at least 46, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday.

In a post on social mediaHegseth said the ship was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang and that the attack occurred in the Caribbean.

The pace of strikes accelerated In recent days from one every few weeks in September when they first started to three in one week now.

Two strikes this week It was also carried out in the eastern Pacific, expanding the area in which the military was prepared to carry out strikes.

In a 20-second black-and-white video of the strike posted on social media, a small boat can be seen sitting apparently motionless on the water when a long, thin projectile landed on it, triggering an explosion.

The video ends before the explosion subsides enough for the remains of the boat to become visible again.

Hegseth said in his post that the raid was carried out in international waters and boasted that it was the first to take place at night.

“If you are a dope terrorist smuggling drugs in our Western Hemisphere, we will treat you as we treat Al Qaeda,” Hegseth said in the post. “Day or night, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.”