The U.S. military destroyed a suspected drug-smuggling vessel, killing 11 people, and now two Venezuelan military aircraft have flown near a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters. The Defense Department has called it a “highly provocative move.” This latest incident is part of a series of escalating tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, as the Trump administration pushes the boundaries of what the United States is allowed to do against international drug cartels and narco-terrorist organizations. The U.S. is going further than it has, and that may be legally dubious, which could infringe on the rights of other countries. According to Fox, Venezuela’s government, led by Nicolás Maduro, is clearly not happy about it. The Defense Department made it explicitly clear in a statement on X, saying, “Today, two Maduro regime military aircraft flew near a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters. This highly provocative move was designed to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations. The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations carried out by the U.S. military.” Venezuela is not happy with how far the US is going without evidence This is all happening while U.S. warships are gathering off South America’s coast. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit to Ecuador, made it very clear that the U.S. is ready to get tough. He didn’t mince words, calling Maduro an “indicted drug trafficker” and a “fugitive of American justice.” The U.S. strike on the vessel, which the Trump administration claims was operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, marks a significant shift in U.S. policy. Previously, counter-narcotics operations were largely limited to seizing and apprehending vessels, but this strike appears to signal a tougher, more aggressive approach. Keep in mind that there was no evidence given that this boat was anything more than a civilian boat, since Trump wanted a shoot-first approach. pic.twitter.com/PSxm3uRsfM— Department of Defense (@DeptofDefense) September 5, 2025 President Trump himself released video footage of the strike on his Truth Social platform, stating that the military “conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists” and that the strike resulted in 11 deaths. He also warned that this should serve as a notice to anyone considering bringing drugs into the U.S. Rubio even went as far as to say that past U.S. interdiction efforts haven’t worked, and “what will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them.” He also indicated that the U.S. is working with “cooperative governments” to “find these people and blow them up, if that’s what it takes.” This definitely sounds like a significant escalation and a new strategy from the Trump administration.