Pete Hegseth announced Sunday that three individuals, described as alleged narco-terrorists, died in a U.S. attack on a vessel suspected of drug smuggling and linked to Colombia’s National Liberation Army.
Hegseth indicated in a post on X that the “lethal kinetic strike” took place Friday in international waters, carried out under the directive of President .
Hegseth stated that intelligence identified the vessel as engaged in illicit narcotics smuggling, traversing a recognized drug trafficking route, and carrying significant quantities of drugs. He added that three male individuals, described as narco-terrorists, were on board the vessel when the strike happened in international waters.
He further noted that all three individuals were killed, with no U.S. personnel sustaining injuries in the operation.
Hegseth also distributed unclassified video footage capturing the strike itself.
Colombia’s Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) is a . Hegseth drew a parallel between this Colombian rebel organization and the Al Qaeda terror group, which Osama bin Laden established in Afghanistan.
Hegseth asserted, “These cartels represent the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, employing violence, murder, and terrorism to enforce their agenda, jeopardize our national security, and harm our populace.” He added, “The United States military will deal with these entities as the terrorists they are—they will be pursued and eliminated, much like Al Qaeda.”
disputed that the vessel had any connection to the ELN, describing it as a fishing boat owned by a “humble family.”
Petro stated on X, “The fishing boat from Santa Marta was not associated with the ELN; it belonged to a modest family, devoted to the sea, which provided their livelihood.” He continued, “What is your message to that family? Account for your involvement in the assassination of a humble fisherman from Santa Marta, the birthplace of Bolívar’s death, and what is described as the world’s heart.”
Petro further queried, “What do you communicate to the family of fisherman Alejandro Carranza? He was a modest individual.”
The Friday strike raises the death count from the Trump administration’s military campaign targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the area to at least 31. These operations started last month and form part of Trump’s wider initiative to dismantle by force.
On Thursday, the U.S. military executed a strike on what Trump later characterized as a “very large drug-carrying submarine” in the Caribbean, and capturing two others alive.
had previously confirmed that two survivors were rescued by the after the strike and were being held aboard an American warship.
Another strike on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of six suspected smugglers on board a vessel near Venezuela’s coast.
Louis Casiano and Jasmine Baehr of Digital contributed to this account.