President Donald Trump warned "narco-terrorists" on September 15th, 2025, at approximately 10:03 PM UTC that "IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU!" This statement followed his confirmation earlier in the reporting window, around 9:17 PM UTC, that the U.S. conducted a second kinetic strike against "narcoterrorists from Venezuela," citing scattered "cargo all over the ocean" as proof. The operation reportedly targeted Venezuelan nationals transporting illegal narcotics destined for the U.S. Secretary of Defense [Name Redacted] stated in a post on X at approximately 10:03 PM UTC that "Narco-terrorists are enemies of the United States — actively bringing death to our shores," and vowed to "track them, kill them, and dismantle their networks throughout our hemisphere — at the times and places of our choosing." All Source News reported that the earlier strike killed three male individuals. President Trump had also commented on September 15th, 2025, at approximately 9:48 PM UTC, stating, "We have noticed that there are no ships in the ocean anymore... I wonder why," in reference to the U.S. kinetic strikes. These actions occur amidst heightened tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had previously declared on September 15th, 2025, around 7:48 PM UTC, that all communications with the U.S. were "completely finished" and "discarded." Maduro also intensified his rhetoric, referring to Secretary of State Marco Rubio as "the Lord of Death and War" and Undersecretary of State Christopher Landau as "Piche y Bandido." Businessman Alberto Vollmer denied reports of traveling to Washington to propose a "negotiated transition" in Venezuela, clarifying in a letter sent "today" that he did not meet with the State Department or American congressmen for such discussions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated "today" that the U.S. "is not going to allow a poster to go through government within our hemisphere."
