The three recent attacks in the eastern Pacific Ocean come as the United States strengthens its military presence in Trinidad and Tobago, near Venezuela.
Published December 16, 2025
Days after U.S. forces seized a Venezuelan oil tanker, the United States announced a new attack on a ship in the Eastern Pacific that killed eight people, as the U.S. government continues its military buildup in Latin America.
In a social media post, U.S. Army Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a social media post that a “lethal kinetic attack” targeted three ships in international waters on Monday at the direction of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
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Southcom said in a statement that a total of eight people were killed.
“Three people on the first boat, two on the second boat and three on the third boat,” he said, claiming without providing evidence that those killed were involved in drug trafficking.
At least 90 people have been killed in similar U.S. attacks on dozens of ships in the Pacific and Caribbean near Venezuela since September, in what international law experts have criticized as extrajudicial killings by U.S. forces.
On December 15th, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic attack on three vessels operated by a designated terrorist organization in international waters. Intelligence officials confirmed the vessel was traveling in known waters… pic.twitter.com/IQfCVvUpau
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 16, 2025
U.S. lawmakers are questioning Mr. Hegseth over his role in the attack, including whether he personally ordered a second attack on a boat in September that targeted two people who survived the first attack and were clinging to debris.
The Pentagon has also deployed warships, submarines, drones and fighter jets to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in what it says is an effort to tackle drug smuggling in the region.
Even before the U.S. military seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela last week, Venezuela said the attack and U.S. troop buildup were aimed at allowing “outside forces to seize Venezuela’s immense oil and gas wealth,” with U.S. President Donald Trump telling reporters, “I think we’re going to keep the oil.”
US military to use Trinidad airport near Venezuela
The latest ship attacks in Latin American waters come as the United States continues to build up a significant military presence in the region around Venezuela, with Trinidad and Tobago announcing on Monday that it had allowed American military aircraft to use its airport.
Trinidad and Tobago said it had given the green light for the U.S. military to use the airport “in the coming weeks,” adding that the U.S. government would use the airport for “logistics” operations, including “replenishing supplies and facilitating regular personnel rotation.”
The Caribbean island nation, located just 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) from Venezuela at its closest point, has supported the buildup of U.S. forces in the region, in contrast to other Latin American leaders.
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she would “rather see drug traffickers blown to smithereens” than see them murdering her own people.
In response, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro reiterated on Monday that he would cut off gas supplies to Trinidad and Tobago, according to Venezuela’s state television station Telesur.
