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US Conducts Strike on Alleged Drug-Smuggling Facility, Marks Escalation in Operations
US President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States conducted a strike on a shore facility used for loading boats with drugs, marking an escalation beyond previous operations targeting vessels in international waters. The president declined to specify the location or which agency carried out the strike.
“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said while meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida. “They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. There’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”
Trump offered few details about the strike, including whether it was conducted by the US military or the CIA. “I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was. But you know it was along the shore,” he added.
The operation represents a shift in Trump administration tactics, which have previously focused on striking suspected drug-smuggling boats in international waters of the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. According to administration figures, at least 107 people have been killed across 30 strikes since early September. On Monday, the US conducted another strike against an alleged narcoboat in the eastern Pacific, resulting in two fatalities.
Trump initially referenced the strike during a call with WABC radio host John Catsimatidis on Friday. “I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from,” he said. “Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So, we hit them very hard.”
Unlike previous maritime operations, which were often announced by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth or military social media accounts, no formal announcement was made regarding the facility strike. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately provide additional information. Venezuela’s government also declined to comment.
Trump has long indicated that US operations could move beyond boat strikes to land-based missions in South America, including Venezuela. Recent weeks have seen the deployment of US warships to the region, increased military presence, and the seizure of two oil tankers, with a third vessel pursued. The administration has characterized the campaign as part of an “armed conflict” against drug cartels to stop narcotics flowing into the United States.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed the US actions, insisting that the real aim of American operations is to pressure him from office rather than target drug trafficking.
The facility strike signals a new phase in US operations in the region, demonstrating a willingness to extend military actions onto land, raising questions about potential further escalation in South America.
Britain and Norway have launched new joint naval patrols aimed at protecting undersea cables from Russia, with a combined fleet of at least 13 warships safeguarding critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic, officials said. The announcement follows discussions in December between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on defense cooperation.
British Defence Secretary John Healey said on Thursday that the operation was designed to deter Russian submarines suspected of “malign activity” near undersea infrastructure north of the UK. A frigate, aircraft, and hundreds of personnel monitored a Russian attack submarine and two spy vessels during an operation lasting more than a month. Healey said the Russian ships eventually left the area.
His message to Moscow was clear: “We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.” Healey emphasized that while global attention is focused on conflicts in the Middle East, Russia remains the main threat to the UK and its allies.
British officials have highlighted the overlap between Russia’s support for Iran and its ongoing war in Ukraine. Tehran has provided Moscow with Shahed drones, which are now also manufactured in Russia under the designation Geran. Healey said, “Putin would want us to be distracted by the Middle East. We will not take our eyes off Putin.”
The UK has also prepared to seize ships suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a flotilla of old oil tankers of unclear ownership designed to bypass international sanctions imposed over Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Previously, the UK only assisted France and the US in monitoring such vessels. Healey said, “We are ready to take action” against these ships.
Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik, who signed the joint naval agreement with Healey, said the patrols allow both countries to “defend themselves together.” The deployment builds on a £10 billion (€11 billion) deal for Norway to purchase at least five British-made frigates, which, together with eight British ships, will operate along NATO’s northern flank.
Russian naval activity near UK waters has reportedly risen by 30 percent over the past two years. NATO officials have also warned that attacks on undersea cables are among the “most active threats” to Western infrastructure. Acting Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid, and Cyber, James Appathurai, said recent incidents in the Baltic Sea and elsewhere reflect Russia’s long-term undersea program, which includes research ships, submarines, unmanned vehicles, divers, and explosives targeting communications and energy pipelines.
The new UK-Norway patrols signal a heightened focus on securing vital maritime infrastructure amid rising geopolitical tensions and increasing Russian naval operations in European waters.
Reports of new attacks across the الخليج on Wednesday have shaken early optimism following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, raising doubts about how quickly the agreement can take hold.
The ceasefire, announced late الثلاثاء, had been welcomed across the region as tensions between واشنطن and طهران escalated. However, neither side specified when the truce would come into effect, and events on Wednesday suggested hostilities had not fully subsided.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported a fresh Iranian attack targeting the Habshan gas complex. The strike disrupted operations and prompted officials to suspend production at the facility after falling debris from intercepted projectiles caused multiple fires. According to the Abu Dhabi media office, two Emirati nationals and one Indian worker suffered minor injuries.
Journalists in Dubai reported receiving air raid alerts early in the morning and observed continued air defence activity, including fighter jets operating overhead. The developments marked a sharp end to the brief sense of relief that had followed the ceasefire announcement.
In Qatar, residents in Doha also received early morning alerts after a night of heightened tension. Reports indicated a prolonged Iranian raid on Tuesday evening, with at least eight interception blasts heard across the city. The incident disrupted air traffic, with inbound flights diverted for about an hour before normal operations resumed.
Bahrain experienced similar unrest. Sirens sounded again on Wednesday morning, warning residents to seek shelter as new explosions were heard. The renewed activity followed overnight strikes that damaged homes in the Sitra area and left two people injured by falling debris after an Iranian drone was intercepted.
Meanwhile, in Tehran, residents reported hearing air defence systems in operation late Wednesday morning. Initial reports suggested the activity may have been part of a drill, though details remained limited.
The renewed attacks come despite an agreement announced by US President Donald Trump and Iranian officials for a two-week ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies. Trump had earlier described a 10-point proposal from Iran as a possible basis for negotiations, though he later questioned its credibility.
Israel signalled support for the temporary pause in strikes against Iran but clarified that it would continue its military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, highlighting ongoing tensions beyond the immediate US-Iran conflict.
The situation underscores the fragile nature of the ceasefire, with continued military activity casting uncertainty over its implementation. As diplomatic efforts continue, the coming days are likely to determine whether the agreement can hold or whether the region will see further escalation.
Sweden’s security service, Sapo, has accused Iran of increasing its targeting of dissidents since the start of the Iran war, alleging that it has recruited organised crime networks to carry out acts of violence داخل the country. The warning comes as five teenagers are due to appear in court on Wednesday over the alleged attempted murder of an Iranian dissident researcher in southern Sweden.
Prosecutors say the group targeted Arvin Khoshnood, a researcher and commentator on Iranian affairs, at his home in the city of Malmö on September 2 last year. According to the charge sheet, one of the suspects, aged 16 at the time, rang the doorbell armed with a knife and asked Khoshnood’s wife if he was at home. Khoshnood, who was present, remained out of sight and contacted police immediately.
Authorities allege the teenager had been recruited through encrypted messaging apps and promised payment to carry out the attack. Prosecutors say three of the accused, along with a fourth individual believed to be the mastermind, provided instructions, supplied the weapon, and negotiated the terms before the attempt was made. Three of the teenagers face charges of attempted murder, while the others are accused of complicity.
“These are acts that fall under so-called crime as a service, where young perpetrators in Sweden take on assignments from individuals connected to organised crime,” prosecutor Per-Erik Rinsell said in a statement.
Khoshnood has suggested the plot may be linked to the Foxtrot network, one of Sweden’s most prominent criminal gangs. Its leader, Rawa Majid, has been reported to have connections to Iran, although such claims remain contested. The group has been associated with a series of shootings, bombings, and other violent incidents in recent years, often recruiting young people through online platforms.
The case has drawn attention to what Swedish authorities describe as a growing security threat. Sapo has identified Iran as one of the main risks to national security, accusing it of using criminal gangs to target Israeli interests and Iranian opposition figures within Sweden. Tehran has denied these allegations.
Khoshnood, who frequently appears in Swedish media as an expert on Iran, has openly expressed support for exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah. Investigators believe his public stance may have made him a target.
Several of the accused teenagers are also facing charges related to a separate attempted murder in Uddevalla, which occurred a week after the incident in Malmö. Authorities have not confirmed whether that case involved another Iranian dissident.
The trial is expected to shed light on the alleged links between foreign actors and domestic criminal networks, as Sweden grapples with rising concerns over organised crime and national security.
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