U.S. has seized survivors after strike on suspected drug-carrying vessel in Caribbean

The United States took survivors into custody after its army struck a suspected drug-carrying vessel within the Caribbean — the primary assault that anybody escaped alive since President Donald Trump started launching lethal assaults within the area final month, a defence official and one other particular person acquainted with the matter stated on Friday (October 17, 2025).

Mr. Trump later confirmed the assault.

“We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine constructed particularly for the transportation of large quantities of medicine” Mr. Trump stated whereas internet hosting the Ukrainian President on the White House.

Secretary of State Rubio didn’t dispute that there have been survivors, however he repeatedly stated particulars can be forthcoming.

The strike on Thursday introduced the loss of life toll from the Trump administration’s army motion in opposition to vessels within the area to at the least 28.

It is believed to be at the least the sixth strike within the waters off Venezuela since early September, and the primary to end in survivors who have been picked up by the U.S. army. It was not instantly clear what can be finished with the survivors, who the individuals stated have been being held on a U.S. Navy vessel.

They confirmed the strike and the seizing of survivors on the situation of anonymity as a result of the assault had not but been publicly acknowledged by Trump’s administration.

Mr. Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in an “armed battle” with drug cartels, counting on the identical authorized authority utilized by the Bush administration when it declared a struggle on terror after the September 11 assaults. That consists of the power to seize and detain combatants and to make use of deadly drive to take out their management.

Some authorized consultants have questioned the legality of the strategy. The president’s use of overwhelming army drive to fight the cartels, alongside along with his authorisation of covert motion inside Venezuela, probably to oust President Nicolas Maduro, stretches the bounds of worldwide legislation, authorized students stated this week.

For the survivors of Thursday’s strike, the saga is hardly over. They now face an unclear future and authorized panorama, together with questions on whether or not they’re now thought of to be prisoners of struggle or defendants in a legal case. The White House didn’t touch upon the strike.

Reuters was first to report information of the strike late on Thursday.

The strikes within the Caribbean have brought about unease amongst each Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, with some Republicans saying they haven’t obtained enough info on how the strikes are being performed. A categorized briefing for senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month didn’t embrace representatives from intelligence businesses or the army command construction for South and Central America.

However, most Senate Republicans stood behind the administration final week when a vote on a War Powers Resolution was introduced up, which might have required the administration to achieve approval from Congress earlier than conducting extra strikes.

Their willingness to again the administration might be examined once more. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, together with Sens. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, and Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, is bringing one other decision that will stop Trump from outright attacking Venezuela with out congressional authorisation.