U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 12th (local time) that he would expand airstrikes against drug cartels from the sea to land. He said the operations would extend into the territory of Latin American countries, following the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela and the eastern Pacific.
At a bill signing at the White House that day, President Trump said, "Now we start (the airstrikes) on land." He also said the airstrikes so far had blocked 96% of the drugs coming into the United States.
Trump added, "It's much easier to do it on land," and said, "We will not allow young people and families to be destroyed."
Earlier, the Trump administration deployed forces to the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific and had been striking vessels transporting drugs there.
Trump said, "It doesn't have to be only in Venezuela," and added, "The people bringing drugs into our country are our target." This is interpreted to mean that, in addition to Venezuela, other areas that distribute drugs could also be included as targets of airstrikes.