WASHINGTON — On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military executed a strike on another Venezuelan vessel. He claimed that this ship was manned by “narcoterrorists” and was transporting “illegal narcotics” bound for the U.S.

Trump stated that the attack resulted in the deaths of three individuals, whom he described as “male terrorists,” while noting that no U.S. personnel were injured. This event occurred almost two weeks after the U.S. had destroyed another boat near Venezuela, which resulted in 11 fatalities. Trump had previously declared that the boat was carrying drugs and was associated with the Tren de Aragua gang.

The announcement of Monday’s strike was made by Trump on Truth Social, including a brief clip showing a boat catching fire. He warned those involved in drug trafficking that endangers American lives, saying, “WE ARE HUNTING YOU!”

When questioned by a journalist in the Oval Office on Monday about whether he had evidence to back the claim that the second vessel was transporting narcoterrorists, Trump suggested that the video was indicative of that.

“Well, we have proof. All you have to do is observe the cargo, which was — you know — scattered across the ocean, large bags of cocaine and fentanyl everywhere, and moreover, we have recorded evidence of their departure,” Trump remarked.

Officials from the Venezuelan government did not directly address the second strike on Monday. However, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, during a news conference on state media following Trump’s statement, accused the United States of intentionally provoking Venezuela. He also asserted that the deteriorating relations between the two nations were the fault of the United States.

“Some hope we will fall into the provocations that the U.S. deliberately makes to generate an open military confrontation,” Cabello said.

The Venezuelan government has argued that the boat targeted earlier this month was a fishing vessel. A day after that strike, Trump threatened further escalation, telling reporters that “Venezuela has been a very bad actor.”

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had vowed one day before that strike to declare his country a “republic in arms” should it be attacked by U.S. forces.

A source familiar with the first strike told NBC News at the time that the U.S. government’s goal was to pressure Maduro to make rash decisions that could lead to his ouster, without the deployment of American troops inside the country.

The Trump administration has placed renewed pressure on Venezuela, leading to tensions between the two countries. The State Department this year designated eight drug cartels and criminal organizations as “global terrorists,” giving the government new legal authority to take military action against them.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Venezuela hard-liner, said in an interview last month that the designation made dealing with the groups a “national security issue.”

After the strike Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted video of the explosion and said “narco-terrorists are the enemies of the United States.”

“We will stop at nothing to defend our homeland and our citizens,” Hegseth said on X. “We will track them, kill them, and dismantle their networks throughout our hemisphere — at the times and places of our choosing.”