By Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military carried out another attack on a suspected drug ship in the Caribbean on Thursday, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew, a U.S. official told Reuters.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide additional details about the incident, which has not previously been reported. But it raises new questions, including whether the U.S. military provided assistance to the survivors and whether they are now in U.S. military custody.
The Pentagon, which has labeled those it targeted in the attacks as narco-terrorists, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ahead of Thursday's operation, U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats off the coast of Venezuela killed at least 27 people, raising alarm among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers who question their adherence to the laws of war.
The Trump administration argues that the US is already at war with narco-terrorist groups from Venezuela, making the attacks legitimate.
Videos of previous attacks presented by the Trump administration showed ships being completely destroyed, and there are no previous reports of survivors.
The attacks come against the backdrop of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, including guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and about 6,500 troops, as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.
On Wednesday, Trump announced that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, increasing speculation in Caracas that the United States is trying to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a letter to the 15-member United Nations Security Council seen by Reuters, Venezuelan U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada asked for the U.N.'s determination that the U.S. strikes off its coast are illegal and to issue a statement supporting Venezuela's sovereignty.
Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced that its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in Latin America.
Instead, the Pentagon said it was creating a task force that would be led by the II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations and based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
That decision came as a surprise to U.S. military observers, since a combatant command like the Southern Command would normally lead all high-profile operations.
Earlier on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the admiral leading the U.S. Southern Command will resign at the end of this year, two years earlier than planned, in a surprise move.
The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, called the unexpected resignation of Admiral Alvin Holsey disturbing given growing fears of a possible US confrontation with Venezuela.
“Admiral Holsey's resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of past U.S. military campaigns and the advice of our most experienced warfighters,” Reed said in a statement.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart; additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast.)
