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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Friday the U.S. military conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations traveling off the coast of Venezuela, killing four men aboard.

No U.S. forces were harmed in the USSOUTHCOM operation, which was ordered by President Donald Trump, according to Hegseth.

"The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics - headed to America to poison our people," Hegseth wrote in an X post. "Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route."

The secretary noted the strikes will continue "until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!"

<i>This is a developing news story. Please check back for updates.</i>

<div class="author-bio"><p>Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital journalist who covers breaking news, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.</p><p>She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.</p></div>

President Donald Trump ordered a U.S. military strike on a narco-trafficking vessel linked to terrorist groups off Venezuela's coast, killing four aboard.{ai:summary}<p>US strikes narco-trafficking vessel off Venezuela, four killed in international waters; operation reportedly ordered by Trump, vessel tied to designated terrorist networks carrying narcotics toward the U.S. No U.S. casualties; more strikes expected. #military</p>

US strikes another alleged drug-trafficking boat near Venezuela, killing 4

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