00:00U.S. accused of perfidy war crime after unmarked aircraft kills 114 in covert operation.
00:08A covert U.S. military campaign in the Caribbean has sparked international outrage after unmarked
00:14aircraft 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
00:32war crime of perfidy.
00:34The campaign began on September 2, 2025, when an unmarked aircraft struck a small boat in
00:40Caribbean waters, killing 11 people instantly.
00:43The strike marked the opening of a broader U.S. effort targeting networks tied to Venezuelan
00:48drug cartels such as Tren de Aragua.
00:51By November, the U.S. had assembled its largest Caribbean military presence since the Cuban
00:55Missile Crisis, framing the campaign as a non-international armed conflict rather than
01:00routine drug interdiction.
01:02In August 2025, President Trump reportedly authorized lethal force against cartel groups designated
01:09as terrorists.
01:11Conventional boarding operations were replaced with airstrikes, naval blockades, and intelligence-driven
01:17targeting.
01:18The campaign expanded to include a CIA drone strike on Venezuelan soil and the interdiction
01:24of oil tankers.
01:25Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was named a top narco-trafficker, with a $50 million
01:30bounty placed on his capture.
01:33The September 2 strike became the campaign's most controversial moment.
01:38After the initial missile impact, a second strike reportedly targeted survivors clinging
01:42to debris.
01:43Legal scholars described the use of unmarked aircraft resembling civilian planes as perfidy,
01:49prohibited under international humanitarian law.
01:52Critics also accused the administration of a cover-up after the released footage omitted
01:57the follow-up strike.
01:59Across 35 strikes, at least 114 people were killed, averaging nearly eight deaths per month.
02:06Fishing communities across the Caribbean reported economic disruption, while families
02:10of victims claimed civilians were among the dead.
02:13The UN and regional governments condemned the campaign as extrajudicial killing.
02:18In Washington, bipartisan concern led to classified congressional briefings on legality and oversight.
02:25Amid criticism, the U.S. shifted to clearly marked MQ-9 Reaper drones for later operations.
02:31The campaign culminated in Maduro's capture in January 2026.
02:36Still, lawmakers and experts questioned the absence of a formal authorization for the use
02:41force of force.
02:42While the administration cited inherent executive authority, legal and ethical challenges remain
02:48unresolved, with the campaign likely to influence future norms for counter-narcotics warfare.
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