The government of Venezuela condemned on Monday a second deadly US airstrike that destroyed a civilian boat in international waters, killing three Venezuelan nationals.

The attack was announced personally by US president Donald Trump, who boasted on social media that the victims were “confirmed narcoterrorists” and warned that Washington would continue launching strikes on vessels it deems suspicious.

Trump released a video of the fiery destruction of the Venezuelan boat, sparking outrage among human rights defenders, who say the attack violated international law and further escalates Washington’s unilateral campaign of aggression against Latin American nations.

“This is piracy, plain and simple,” Venezuelan commentators said, noting that the United States carried out the strike without presenting verifiable evidence that the boat was carrying drugs or heading toward US territory. “Killing Venezuelan citizens in international waters under the pretext of fighting drugs is a crime against our sovereignty.”

Trump told reporters his administration believed the boat was bound for the US and claimed it was transporting drugs. No independent verification of these claims has been provided.

The strike is the second such attack by the US military this month targeting boats leaving Venezuelan waters. The first strike drew sharp criticism from lawmakers in Washington, including members of Trump’s own party, who demanded a legal explanation for the strikes.

The White House has insisted that its actions are justified under “laws of armed conflict,” but international legal experts say the US has no right to use lethal force outside of a declared war, especially in international waters where no imminent threat to American lives has been proven.

Venezuelan officials have repeatedly warned that US military operations in the Caribbean threaten regional peace and are part of a wider campaign of destabilization against the democratically elected government in Caracas.

Observers warn that Washington’s willingness to use drone and airstrikes against boats in international waters risks setting a dangerous precedent and could lead to further escalation in the region. (ILKHA)