US forces gather as Donald Trump vows military action against South American country

Donald Trump has declared that the United States is engaged in a formal "armed conflict" with drug cartels, as a large naval force gathers off the coast of Venezuela. The United States military has launched a series of strikes on alleged narcoterrorists, with at least three of the strikes targeting vessels launched from the coast of Venezuela.

On September 2, Trump announced on Truth Social that military assets killed "Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists" who were "operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro," Venezuela's president, to smuggle drugs into the United States. On Friday, the United States launched their fourth strike on a small boat in the waters off Venezuela, according to US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, bringing the total number of people killed in strikes to 17.

He said: "Earlier this morning, on President Trump's orders, I directed a lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility.

"Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the strike, and no U.S. forces were harmed in the operation.

"The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics - headed to America to poison our people."

The increase in attacks on alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers has caused controversy, with many alleging that the action is unconstitutional due to the absence of approval from Congress.

Critics have also acted with fury at the lack of due process given to those against whom lethal strikes have been launched.

It comes as a huge US naval taskforce gathers off the coast of Venezuela, consisting of eight warships with more than 5,000 sailors and Marines.

The build up of forces has prompted speculation that the US could be preparing military action against the country.

On the surface, the Naval taskforce is part of Donald Trump's war on drugs, with the US President declaring that the activities of cartels bringing narcotics into the country "constitute an armed attack against the United States."

But the size and shape of the force has led many to believe that attacks against cartels on the Venezuelan mainland could be possible although the White House has refused to expand upon comments made by Trump and Hegseth on social media.