On 02 September, the US military conducted a kinetic strike on a boat in the southern Caribbean, killing 11 people allegedly belonging to the Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua gang, designated by the US as a terrorist organization. The US President said the vessel was carrying illegal narcotics. The strike comes amid an increased US naval presence in the region for counter-narcotics operations. The use of military force against Latin American drug cartels represents a significant escalation and could have serious implications for the region, heightening US-Venezuela tensions and affecting maritime security.