Name: U.S. forces kill four in latest Caribbean drug boat strike
Uploaded: 2025-11-14T00:13:56.213Z
Duration: 3 min 24 s
Description: U.S. forces have killed four people in the latest strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. CBS News national security coordinating producer James LaPorta has more.

U.S. forces have killed four people in the latest strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. CBS News national security coordinating producer James LaPorta has more.

Caracas

U.S. forces conducted an airstrike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. This operation is the 20th of its kind, targeting vessels associated with designated terrorist organizations in the Caribbean and Pacific regions. No U.S. service members were injured in the incident, and a video of the strike has not yet been released.

Senior military officials have recently briefed President Trump on a range of potential military actions concerning Venezuela, including possible strikes. The deployment of the USS Gerald Ford carrier group to the area has expanded operational options, particularly for suppressing Venezuelan air defenses. As of now, President Trump has not made a decision regarding further action.

U.S. forces kill four in latest Caribbean drug boat strike

Another top story that we're following, a very important one. U.S. forces have killed four people in the latest strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. This is the 20th strike by the United States that has targeted vessels in both the Caribbean and Pacific. All of those vessels are described as drug-carrying vessels from designated terrorist organizations. And here's the really important part. Multiple sources tell CBS News that senior military officials yesterday briefed President Trump on potential military operations for Venezuela. Among the options, strikes on that country. I want to bring in James Laporta, who's been following this for CBS News. James, what can you tell us? So your intro pretty much lays out what we know about the latest strike. We know four people were dead. We know that the airstrike occurred on Veterans Day, on Tuesday. And the other fact we know is that no U.S. service members were injured. Other than that, we don't have a video. Typically, the Defense Department, President Trump, they have declassified those videos— And posted them, almost. —pretty—posted them. Very rapidly. Very rapidly. So, we don't have a video yet. But given that we've almost had a video after every one of these strikes, I would suspect that we—they would probably very likely publish that soon. But that's the facts that we know. And so far, with this latest strike, that brings the total to 80 dead and two rescued. About the options presented to President Trump, in what context were those options presented? Actionable? Do we imagine something might be decided in the next few days? And what do you—what does your reporting, James, tell you about the internal U.S. government deliberations about the legality of anything inside Venezuela? Right. So, the military—the Defense Department is a planning institution. They'll say that themselves. Of course it is. It says that all the time. They say it all the time. What they've been doing over the past couple months, in addition to these strikes on these alleged drug boats, is moving the chess pieces, in a sense. That gives them options to present to the president, to give him a—basically a Waffle House menu of choices that he could choose from. And this week was important because the carrier group USS Gerald Ford entered the area of operation. That's right. And here's the option that that gives. I was talking to senior leaders in the military. By moving the Ford into place, it gives you the option to suppress enemy air defenses in Venezuela. Venezuela has the S-300, which is a missile defense system. So by moving the Ford into place, you can have what's called SEAD, or suppression of enemy air defenses. The Ford has nine different fighter squadrons on board. They also have planes that specialize in jamming, communications, GPS, things like that. So you would move the Ford in place to sustain those operations against enemy air defenses, which opens the door for land strikes. If, in fact, that is what the president wants to do. Correct. And so far—so, this meeting at the White House yesterday was to present these options to the president. He has not decided. He has not decided yet. Our sources were clear that he has not made a decision. But it was to go over, here's the chess pieces we've moved into place. This is the current intelligence that we have. And this is what you could— Do what's so inclined. That's right. James LaPorta, excellent reporting.

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