The US military said it killed four men in a strike on an alleged drug vessel in international waters in the Eastern Pacific.
"Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific," the US military said in a statement on X on Thursday.
"Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed."
The US has carried out at least 22 strikes in both the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean on boats suspected of transporting narcotics since September, killing at least 87 people.
The latest attack came amid discussions that Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth ordered the killing of survivors in a follow-on attack in September, which the administration rejects.
Level 4 advisory
Meanwhile, the US State Department reissued its highest-level travel warning for Venezuela, again urging all American citizens and lawful permanent residents to leave the country "immediately."
The Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory — first issued in May and renewed without changes after a full review — warns of severe risks, including wrongful detention, torture, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of laws, violent crime, civil unrest, and the collapse of Venezuela's health system.
"All US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents in Venezuela are strongly advised to depart immediately," the advisory said.
The warning reiterates that the US withdrew all diplomatic personnel from Caracas, the capital of the South American country, in 2019, leaving the government unable to provide any emergency or routine consular services.
"Anyone with US citizenship or any other US residency status in Venezuela should leave the country immediately, including those travelling on Venezuelan or other foreign passports. Do not travel to Venezuela for any reason," it said.
The advisory also cited severe shortages of fuel, electricity, water, medicines, and medical supplies nationwide.
Despite urging Americans not to go, the State Department outlines precautions for anyone who decides to enter Venezuela or who is unable to leave immediately. Recommendations include drafting a will, creating a communications protocol with family, hiring private security, and purchasing medical evacuation insurance.
"There is no safe way to travel to Venezuela," the advisory concluded.
