US President Donald Trump said American forces carried out a strike on a Venezuelan drug cartel vessel, resulting in three casualties.

He claimed the operation took place in international waters and posted a 30-second unclassified video showing the vessel exploding and catching fire.

Trump suggested that similar operations could also occur on land against suspected smugglers. He described the cartels as “extremely violent” and a threat to US national security, adding that the military would continue to track and neutralize threats.

The strike comes amid a major U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean, including fighter jets, warships, and a nuclear-powered submarine.