The Trump administration has signaled an expanded military campaign against Latin American cartels after a deadly strike on a Venezuelan vessel in the Caribbean left 11 people dead, fueling debate over legality and intent.

The operation, carried out Tuesday, marked the first known strike since President Donald Trump deployed warships to the southern Caribbean earlier this summer. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission was part of a broader crackdown on “narco-terrorists” trafficking in the region.

“We’ve got assets in the air, assets in the water, assets on ships, because this is a deadly serious mission for us, and it won’t stop with just this strike,” Hegseth told FOX & Friends. “Anyone else trafficking in those waters who we know is a designated narco terrorist will face the same fate.”

The Pentagon has yet to disclose whether the vessel was destroyed by a drone, torpedo, or other means. Trump told reporters that “massive amounts of drugs” were found on board and claimed the crew belonged to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang designated a terrorist group by Washington earlier this year.

Controversy over legality

International law experts quickly raised concerns. Mary Ellen O’Connell of Notre Dame said the operation “violated fundamental principles of international law,” arguing that the U.S. had no authority to intentionally kill suspects on the high seas.

Venezuelan authorities accused Washington of manufacturing justification for intervention, with President Nicolás Maduro warning that the U.S. sought “regime change.” Caracas officials even claimed footage of the exploding boat, shared by Trump, was artificially generated — a claim Reuters said early checks did not support.

Political reactions in Venezuela

While Maduro condemned the strike, opposition leader María Corina Machado welcomed U.S. action, calling Maduro the head of a “narco-terrorist regime.” She praised Trump for “saving lives” by targeting criminal networks tied to drug trafficking.

But skepticism also emerged from opposition figures. Henrique Capriles questioned U.S. claims, asking how officials confirmed the identities of those killed: “Did they count them? How did they know they were Venezuelan?”

US escalates presence in Caribbean

The U.S. has recently deployed seven warships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the Caribbean, along with 4,500 sailors and Marines. Officials say the buildup underscores Trump’s pledge to target cartels at sea, likening the effort to past counterterrorism campaigns against groups like al-Qaeda.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Mexico City, said more strikes may already be underway. “The president of the United States is going to wage war on narco-terrorist organizations,” Rubio said.

With Washington doubling its bounty on Maduro to $50 million and pledging further strikes, analysts warn of rising tensions across the region. Whether this signals a long-term U.S. military campaign in Latin America remains unclear, but the message from Trump’s team was unmistakable: the operations will not stop.