00:00U.S. accused of perfidy war crime after unmarked aircraft kills 114 in covert operation.
00:06A covert U.S. military campaign in the Caribbean has sparked international outrage after unmarked
00:12aircraft strikes killed at least 114 people between September 2025 and January 2026.
00:21The operation, blending counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism tactics, has been accused
00:26by legal experts and foreign governments of violating international law, including the
00:31war crime of perfidy. The campaign began on September 2, 2025, when an unmarked aircraft
00:38struck a small boat in Caribbean waters, killing 11 people instantly. The strike marked the opening
00:45of a broader U.S. effort targeting networks tied to Venezuelan drug cartels such as Tren de
00:51Aragua. By November, the U.S. had assembled its largest Caribbean military presence since
00:56the Cuban Missile Crisis, framing the campaign as a non-international armed conflict rather
01:02than routine drug interdiction. In August 2025, President Trump reportedly authorized lethal
01:09force against cartel groups designated as terrorists. Conventional boarding operations were replaced
01:15with air strikes, naval blockades, and intelligence-driven targeting. The campaign expanded to include
01:22a CIA drone strike on Venezuelan territory and the interdiction of oil tankers. Venezuelan
01:28President Nicolás Maduro was named a top narco-trafficker, with a $50 million bounty placed on his
01:34capture. The September 2 strike became the campaign's most controversial moment. After the initial missile
01:41impact, a second strike reportedly targeted survivors clinging to debris. Legal scholars
01:47described the use of unmarked aircraft resembling civilian planes as perfidy, prohibited under
01:53international humanitarian law. Critics also accused the administration of a cover-up after the
01:59released footage omitted the follow-up strike. Across 35 strikes, at least 114 people were killed,
02:06averaging nearly eight deaths per month. Fishing communities across the Caribbean reported
02:11economic disruption, while families of victims claimed civilians were among the dead. The UN and
02:17regional governments condemned the campaign as extrajudicial killing. In Washington, bipartisan
02:23concern led to classified congressional briefings on legality and oversight. Amid criticism, the U.S.
02:30shifted to clearly marked MQ-9 Reaper drones for later operations. The campaign culminated in Maduro's
02:35capture in January 2026. Still, lawmakers and experts questioned the absence of a formal authorization for
02:43the use of force. While the administration cited inherent executive authority, legal and ethical
02:49challenges remain unresolved, with the campaign likely to influence future norms for counter-narcotics warfare.
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