US President Donald Trump defended US military strikes on a targeted vessel in the Caribbean he alleged was carrying illicit drugs. He claimed that the decision was based on “conclusive intelligence", highlighting the precision and diligence of the military operation.

“We’re very careful, the military has been amazing,” he said, adding, “We have recorded proof and evidence. We know what time they were leaving, when they were leaving, what they had, and all of the other things that you’d like to have.”

Trump pointed to the aftermath of the strike, asserting, “We have proof. All you have to do is look at the cargo that was like, it spattered all over the ocean. Big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place.”

Despite Trump’s claims, the White House, Pentagon, and State Department have not provided any evidence to substantiate the president’s statements. Nevertheless, the strike was carried out.

The lack of public documentation has raised questions among legal experts and lawmakers about the legality and transparency of the operation.

Lawmakers and legal experts criticize the strikes

The strikes have drawn sharp criticism from congressional Democrats and legal specialists, who describe the use of lethal force in such circumstances as both illegal and strategically unsound.

Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, condemned the attacks, saying, “The president’s decision to use lethal military force against civilians based on unproven claims that they are drug traffickers is morally reprehensible and strategically unsound, and will end up making it harder to prevent dangerous drugs from entering our communities.”

According to reports, draft legislation is circulating in the White House and on Capitol Hill that would grant Trump broad authority to act against "drug cartels" he deems to be “terrorists” and against any country he claims has supported them.

During a briefing with the House Armed Services Committee, Pentagon officials provided minimal information on the strikes. Representative Adam Smith, senior Democrat on the committee, said officials offered no evidence of legal justification beyond Trump’s assertion of “self-defense.” He also noted that the military provided no information on the locations of the strikes or details about those involved.

“If they have plans, they’re not sharing,” he said in an interview.

It is also worth noting that the strikes follow a still-classified order signed by Trump in July, directing the Pentagon to take military action against specific Latin American "criminal organizations and drug cartels."

In August, the US Navy launched a substantial operation in the southern Caribbean Sea, deploying eight warships, several P-8 surveillance aircraft, and one attack submarine. Despite the scale of the operation, the Pentagon has offered few details regarding its objectives, locations, or subsequent actions beyond the pretext of "combating drug trafficking."

Venezuela launches 'Barracks to the People' Op. to counter US threats

During the founding conference of the National Union of Farmers this Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro launched Operation Barracks to the People, which involves deploying members of the Bolivarian Armed Forces to 5,336 community districts.

Maduro affirmed that "the popular armies are deployed to guarantee that not a single hair on Venezuela's head will be touched by the criminal American invaders," stressing the need to preserve "the sacred land, seas, and sky of the homeland, in a perfect union between the people, the army, and the police."

He also pointed out that "the concept is the comprehensive defense of the nation, and within this concept, which is the law of the republic and has constitutional standing, two lines are being fully implemented: the active and prolonged resistance of our people and the initiative and permanent offensive on all fronts."

The Venezuelan president also asserted that "there is no excuse for anything to stop; if there is a blockade, then there is no excuse for the Bolivarians."

Read next: Maduro warns of threats, urges 'battle for truth' to defend Venezuela