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United States armed forces have killed four persons in an strike on a boat in waters close to Venezuela that was reportedly trafficking drugs, per military leadership statements.

"The military action was conducted in open seas just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was moving significant quantities of narcotics - destined for America to endanger our population," military representatives announced in a official communication.

This marks the newest in a series of recent deadly strikes that the US has conducted on boats in open seas it asserts are engaged in "drug smuggling".

The military actions have attracted criticism in countries such as Venezuela and Colombia, with some legal experts labeling the attacks as a infringement of worldwide jurisprudence.

Action Particulars

Armed forces representatives stated the strike occurred in the US naval force's operational zone, which covers the majority of South America and the Caribbean.

"Gathered information, unquestionably, established that this boat was trafficking narcotics, the persons on the vessel were narcotics criminals, and they were operating on a known drug smuggling transportation path," officials announced about Friday's attack.

"Such operations will continue until the threats on the American people are over!!!!"

The President additionally verified the operation on digital platforms, stating that the vessel was containing enough illegal substances "to fatally harm 25 to 50 thousand persons".

Questions and Controversy

Nonetheless, the US has declined to offer evidence for its allegations or any particulars about the personal details of those aboard the vessel.

There was no quick answer from Venezuela but its president has before now criticized the attacks and said his nation will defend itself from US "aggression".

This latest fatal attack is the fourth instance by the US in a 30-day period.

Before this, military leaders had stated that eleven individuals had been killed in a military action against a drug-carrying ship in the tropical waters at the commencement of September.

Later in the timeframe, two different operations within days of each other killed a aggregate six individuals.

Policy Background

This Thursday, a leaked memo sent to Congress – reported by media outlets – stated the US government had now determined it was in a "internal military confrontation" with narcotics organizations.

This is notable because the administration is required by legislation to report to Congress if it will use the military, which implies it intends to use additional armed intervention.

The US has framed its operations on suspected narcotics vessels as self-defence, despite many lawyers questioning their lawfulness.

Presenting this as an ongoing military confrontation is presumably a approach to rationalize using heightened wartime powers – for example killing "adversaries" even if they have not posed a physical risk, or holding people without limit.

These are analogous powers to those applied to previous groups in earlier military situations.

Government officials have declined to offer the rationale for why they seem to be categorizing drug trafficking and associated offenses as an "armed attack", or identified which organizations they believe are endangering the US.

Government representatives have already categorized many groups, including those in Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela, as terrorist organisations – giving US agencies increased capabilities in their response to them.