LOC09:23
06:23 GMT
WASHINGTON, Oct 30 (KUNA) -- United States' Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, announced lethal kinetic strike on a narcotics-trafficking vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Eastern Pacific.
In a statement, the Hegseth stated that the strike was as per the directions of President Donald Trump.
"This vessel, like all the others, was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route,"
Hegseth added that the four males onboard were killed during the strike, which was conducted in international waters, clarifying that no US forces were harmed.
"The Western Hemisphere is no longer a safe haven for narco-terrorists bringing drugs to our shores," he noted.
President Donald Trump announced last week that the United States would soon launch ground strikes against drug cartels outside its territory, following a series of recent airstrikes targeting drug gangs in Latin America.
The US administration informed Congress earlier this month that the country is engaged in an armed conflict with what it described as "terrorist" drug cartels. (end)
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