On Tuesday, the US military struck a vessel off the coast of Venezuela, resulting in the deaths of six people. President Trump claimed the vessel was associated with narcoterrorists and involved in drug trafficking. This incident marks the fifth strike by the Trump administration on vessels accused of drug trafficking since September, with a total of 27 reported fatalities. Critics, including legal experts, have raised concerns about the legality of these strikes under international law, while neighboring nations like Colombia and Venezuela have condemned the actions. Trump asserted that intelligence confirmed the vessel's involvement in narcotics trafficking along known smuggling routes. The US has positioned these strikes as acts of self-defense against drug cartels, framing the situation as a non-international armed conflict. This military action coincides with a $50 million reward offered for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on drug trafficking charges, further escalating tensions in the region.