The United States military announced on Friday that they had executed their first lethal attack on suspected narcoterrorists since the operation earlier this month that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

According to a statement from the US Southern Command shared on social media, the targeted vessel was involved in drug trafficking activities. The operation resulted in the deaths of two individuals, with one person surviving the strike.

The military reported that they informed the Coast Guard to initiate search and rescue efforts for the lone survivor.

In the past, U.S. military strikes have faced criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who have raised concerns about “double tap” tactics allegedly aimed at targeting survivors in previous operations.

An accompanying video with the announcement shows a boat navigating through the water before erupting into flames, capturing the dramatic moment of the strike.

The US military has focused lately on seizing sanctioned oil tankers with connections to Venezuela since the Trump administration launched an audacious raid to capture Maduro and bring him to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

With the latest military action, there have been 36 known strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in South American waters since early September that killed at least 117 people, according to announcements from the US military and Trump. 

The majority of those of strikes have occurred in the Caribbean Sea.

This image from video provided by U.S. South Command, shows a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean shortly before it was destroyed by the U.S. military, killing two and injuring one, on Jan. 23, 2026. (U.S. Southern Command via AP)

With the latest military action, there have been 36 known strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in South American waters since early September that killed at least 117 people, according to announcements from the US military led by Pete Hegseth and Trump

The last reported boat strikes occurred in late December, when the military said it struck five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing a total of eight people while others jumped overboard. 

Days later, the Coast Guard suspended its search.

The US conducted a large-scale operation in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, on January 3 that led to the capture of Maduro and his wife, who were then flown to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges.

Maduro, before his capture, said the US military operations were a thinly veiled effort to oust him from power.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the US strikes targeting alleged smugglers are having an enormous impact on slowing drug trafficking routes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

‘We´ve stopped – virtually stopped almost 100 percent of all drugs coming in by water,’ Trump said in remarks on Thursday at the World Economic Forum at Davos.

In the wake of his capture of Maduro, Trump has leveraged the remaining members of the regime into making deals on oil.

Days after the capture of Maduro, Trump announced a deal with the Venezuelan regime to give the United States 30 to 50 million barrels of oil which could be worth up to $2billion.

The US military has focused lately on seizing sanctioned oil tankers with connections to Venezuela since the Trump administration launched an audacious raid to capture Maduro and bring him to New York to face drug trafficking charges

‘I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,’ he posted to Truth Social. 

Trump also announced that he will be in control of the money made off the oil’s sales – which at market price, could be worth up to $2billion according to Reuters. 

‘This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!’ 

Trump has placed Energy Secretary Chris Wright in charge of executing the plan which is scheduled to begin immediately. 

‘It will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States,’ he wrote. 

Trump has largely put his team in charge of relations with Venezuela, while sidelining Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Trump had largely dismissed Machado’s prospects, saying ‘it would be very tough for her to be the leader’ and claiming she ‘doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country.’ 

His comments caught Machado’s team off guard, according to people close to her.

Machado’s proxy candidate, Edmundo González, won more than two–thirds of the vote in last year’s election, which Maduro refused to honor by stepping down.

US officials say Venezuela’s vast oil wealth offers both an incentive for Rodríguez to engage with Trump and a source of leverage if she doesn’t.