WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump said the US carried out another strike Tuesday on "a narco-trafficking vessel" off the coast of Venezuela.

"Under my standing authorities as commander-in-chief, this morning, the Secretary of War, ordered a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) conducting narcotrafficking in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility — just off the Coast of Venezuela," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He said US intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, associated with "illicit narcoterrorist" networks and was transiting along a known DTO route.

"The strike was conducted in International Waters, and six male narcoterrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the strike. No U.S. Forces were harmed," he added.

It was the fifth strike that the US carried out in recent weeks, targeting vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs.