On the morning of September 15, 2025, the simmering conflict between the United States and Venezuela burst into global headlines yet again. President Donald Trump announced that the US military had destroyed what he described as a Venezuelan drug cartel vessel in international waters, killing three men aboard. The strike marked the second such attack in less than a month, signaling a sharp escalation in both rhetoric and military action between the two adversaries.
"This morning, on my Orders, US Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility," President Trump declared on Truth Social, as reported by BBC and other outlets. He accompanied the announcement with a video showing a small boat bobbing in the ocean before erupting in a fiery explosion.
According to Trump, these "extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to US National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital US Interests." He confirmed that three "terrorists" were killed in the strike and that no US forces were harmed. The president made it clear that he considered the operation a warning: "BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU!"
The US military has ramped up its presence in the southern Caribbean, deploying F-35 jets and warships as part of what officials describe as counter-narcotics operations. The latest strike follows a similar attack earlier in September that killed 11 people, believed to be members of the Tren De Aragua gang, a group the Trump administration has targeted in both rhetoric and policy.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has long accused the United States of seeking regime change in his country, responded with fury. He branded the US actions as "aggression" and insisted that Caracas would "fully" exercise its "legitimate right to defend itself." Speaking to reporters, Maduro called US Secretary of State Marco Rubio the "lord of death and war" and accused the US of imperialist motives. "We have moved from a period of battered relations to a completely broken one," Maduro said, according to BBC and CBS News.
Maduro also called on Venezuelans to enlist in the militia, a civilian force historically used to swell numbers at political rallies but now being positioned as a bulwark against potential US military incursions. Public sector workers have reported pressure to join these militias, highlighting the tense domestic atmosphere in Venezuela as fears of further escalation mount.
The Trump administration, for its part, has doubled down on its accusations against Maduro, claiming he leads a cocaine trafficking cartel known as the Cartel of the Suns. The US has increased its reward for Maduro’s capture to $50 million, a move that underscores Washington’s determination to see him ousted. The State Department and Department of Justice in August announced the increase under the Narcotics Rewards Program, explicitly refusing to recognize Maduro’s controversial 2024 re-election—a vote much of the international community, including the UK and opposition groups within Venezuela, have labeled fraudulent.
Amid these high-level tensions, ordinary Venezuelans in Caracas expressed a mix of resignation and anxiety. Many voiced concerns about daily survival, given the country’s years-long economic crisis marked by hyperinflation and chronic shortages. "As a human being, I think it’s very regrettable. I believe every life, all lives, have value and importance, no matter what country you’re from or what political or religious party you belong to. It’s regrettable, and it would be wonderful if there weren’t so many wars. The best thing for the world would be for wars to disappear as quickly as possible. It doesn’t matter if we’re Venezuelan or American, I think we should value every life," one Caracas resident told Reuters, reflecting a sentiment echoed by many grappling with the daily realities of crisis and conflict.
Another resident, speaking to the same outlet, pointed to the overwhelming power of the United States: "The U.S. manages operations and the rules as an empire. They know what to do and what not to do. Their intelligence is deployed across the entire region, not just the Caribbean, but all of Europe, practically the whole world. They know what they have to do. I just hope the outcome is positive for our country." For many, the specter of international conflict is overshadowed by the more immediate struggle to feed their families and survive in a collapsing economy.
Legal experts and human rights advocates have raised urgent questions about the legality of the US strikes. The attacks occurred in international waters, and critics argue that the alleged traffickers were extrajudicially executed without due process. The BBC noted that the US military has a history of misidentifying targets, sometimes resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians. Some have questioned why the alleged drug dealers were not intercepted and brought to trial in US courts, rather than being killed at sea.
When pressed by reporters to provide evidence that the targeted vessel was carrying drugs, Trump replied, "All you have to do is look at the cargo that was like it spattered all over the ocean – big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place." However, the footage released by the White House did not definitively show narcotics on the ship, leaving critics unsatisfied and fueling further debate about the transparency and justification for the attacks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio staunchly defended the strikes, telling Fox News that Washington had "100% fidelity and certainty" that the vessels were involved in trafficking drugs to the US. "What needs to start happening is some of these boats need to get blown up," Rubio said, arguing that Maduro represents "a direct threat to the national security" of the United States due to his alleged involvement in the drug trade.
The tit-for-tat dynamic has only intensified. Following the first strike, Venezuela responded by flying two F-16 fighter jets over a US Navy destroyer, prompting Trump to warn that any Venezuelan jets putting "us in a dangerous situation" would be shot down. On Saturday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil accused US forces of boarding a Venezuelan vessel "illegally and hostilely" for eight hours, claiming the US was "looking for an incident to justify escalating war in the Caribbean, with the aim of regime change" in Caracas.
Despite the saber-rattling, President Trump has repeatedly stated that he is not seeking regime change in Venezuela, though he has not ruled out further military action. When asked whether the US would consider strikes on the Venezuelan mainland, Trump replied, "We’ll see what happens." He also acknowledged the impact of the strikes on Venezuela’s already battered fishing industry, saying, "If I were a fisherman, I wouldn’t want to go fishing here … because I’d say, ‘Man, if they maybe they think I have drugs downstairs. I don’t want that’. I think the fishing business probably has been hurt."
As the world watches the unfolding crisis, the people of Venezuela remain caught in the crossfire—struggling with economic hardship, political repression, and now, the looming threat of military escalation. The outcome of this latest round of US-Venezuela tensions remains uncertain, but the stakes for both countries—and for the region as a whole—could not be higher.