The Pentagon has just released video of the latest U.S. strike on drug-trafficking vessels operating off Venezuela, the 22nd strike since September, even as Democrat lawmakers continue accusing President Donald Trump’s administration of committing “war crimes” for taking aggressive action against designated terrorist organizations tied to the cartel pipeline.
Prior to Thursday’s operation, U.S. forces had carried out 21 maritime strikes across the Caribbean, resulting in 83 confirmed deaths, according to Pentagon reporting and independent tracking.
The missions rely primarily on MQ-9 Reaper drones and naval assets to target high-speed smuggling boats launched from Venezuelan waters.
Pentagon: Vessel Was Operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization
The newest strike hit a drug-running vessel in the Eastern Pacific.
In its announcement on Thursday night, the Pentagon stated:
“On Dec. 4, at the direction of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization.
“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific.
“Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed.”
The release included aerial footage of the strike, underscoring the administration’s ongoing counter-cartel campaign, which has escalated significantly under President Trump’s second term.
WATCH:
On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and… pic.twitter.com/pqksvxM3HP
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 4, 2025
Democrats Accuse Hegseth and U.S. Forces of “War Crimes” Over Double-Tap Strike
The renewed criticism from Democrats centers on a September 2 operation in which U.S. forces carried out a follow-up strike, often referred to as a “double tap,” after the initial missile hit the vessel.
On Thursday, lawmakers were briefed by Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), who clarified that he ordered the second strike.
Bradley told lawmakers the traffickers were still in communication with accomplices and attempting to recover narcotics, indicating they were actively engaged, not incapacitated.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) defended the operation, noting that the traffickers’ actions showed they were “still in the fight,” and the strike was justified within the “fog of war.”
Democrats, however, have attempted to frame the incident as a humanitarian crisis.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) went as far as calling it one of the most “disturbing” moments of his Washington career, offering an unusually sympathetic portrayal of the drug traffickers and demanding the public release of the footage, something President Trump has already endorsed.
Double-Tap Strikes Were Common Under Democrat Administrations Without Accusations of War Crimes
Democrats’ sudden moral outrage stands in stark contrast to their silence during the Obama administration, which repeatedly used double-tap strikes, including against targets that resulted in dozens of civilian deaths.
Examples include:
January 2009: Just three days into President Obama’s first term, he authorized two drone strikes in Pakistan’s Waziristan region, three hours apart, an early example of double-tap tactics.
At least 20 civilians were killed.
January 2012: A strike targeting Taliban commander Sadiq Noor in the Shawal Valley was immediately followed by a second strike that killed up to 14 people, including potential first responders.
Democrats did not call for investigations, war crimes charges, or public transparency when these incidents occurred under a Democrat president.
A Broader Fight Against Cartel-Linked Narco-Terrorism
The Trump-Hegseth counter-cartel strategy has taken a more forceful approach, one that treats major drug-trafficking operations, especially those run from Venezuela, as terrorist-linked threats destabilizing U.S. security.
With more than 80 traffickers eliminated since September and dozens of smuggling vessels destroyed, the campaign signals a renewed commitment to direct interdiction rather than the passive diplomacy favored in previous administrations.
READ MORE – Democrat Senator Accuses Pete Hegseth of ‘War Crimes’ Over Drug Cartel Strikes
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