US President Donald Trump declared that the country is in an armed conflict with drug cartels, The New York Times reports.
The publication writes that the new status of the campaign against drug cartels should serve as legal justification for previous attacks on ships in the Caribbean.
Trump stated that the actions of drug cartels will be considered an armed attack on the US, and smugglers will be considered unlawful combatants.
The US Navy has already destroyed at least two boats in international waters in the Caribbean, which were allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela.
In his speech at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on September 23, Trump stated that the United States will continue to strike vessels suspected of being linked to Venezuelan drug cartels.