US kills 6 suspected narco-terrorists in overnight strike on alleged drug smuggling boat, Hegseth says

President Donald Trump directed a nighttime U.S. strike on a suspected Tren de Aragua vessel in the Caribbean Sea, killing six alleged narco-terrorists, officials say.

"Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea," War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on X. "The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics." 

"Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters — and was the first strike at night," he said. "All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike."

HEGSETH SAYS US CONDUCTED ANOTHER STRIKE IN EASTERN PACIFIC TARGETING ALLEGED NARCO-TRAFFICKERS

This infrared image released by the Department of War shows a suspected Tren de Aragua vessel in international waters of the Caribbean Sea before a U.S. nighttime strike that killed six alleged narco-terrorists, officials said. (Department of War/Pete Hegseth)

Hegseth further warned, "If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you." 

The strike marks the 10th operation targeting suspected drug traffickers since Trump returned to office in January and the president has made combating the nation’s drug crisis a central policy focus.

The first strike took place on Sept. 2, and since then, 43 suspected drug traffickers have been killed and two have survived. 

TRUMP APPROVES MILITARY ACTION AGAINST LATIN AMERICAN CARTELS CLASSIFIED AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

The Trump administration has been scrutinized in recent weeks over the strikes, including by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the latest strike Friday morning.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images )

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In a recent interview, Paul cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded for suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

The senator has also argued that if the administration plans to engage in a war with Venezuela, as it has targeted boats in recent weeks it claims are transporting drugs for the Venezuela-linked Tren de Aragua gang, it must seek a declaration of war from Congress.

Fox News' Landon Mion contributed to this report.