US military says it struck a vessel in Caribbean, killing three

Trump's administration has touted its success at taking out suspected drug trafficking vessels in area

The US military said in a social media post that it had struck a vessel in the Caribbean on Friday, killing three people, the latest such incident in recent months.

President Donald Trump's administration has touted its success at taking out suspected drug trafficking vessels in the area.

The military said in a post on X that the vessel was "engaged in narco-trafficking operations".

Reuters could not immediately verify the information.

Read: US moving second carrier to ME as Iran tensions build

Earlier, Pentagon was sending an aircraft carrier from the Caribbean to the Middle East, US officials said on Friday, a move that would put two carriers in the region as tensions soar between the United States and Iran.

The Gerald R Ford carrier, the United States' newest and the world's largest carrier, has been operating in the Caribbean with its escort ships and took part in operations in Venezuela earlier this year.

Asked why a second aircraft carrier was headed to the Middle East, US President Donald Trump said: "In case we don't make a deal, we'll need it … if we need it, we'll have it ready."

One of the officials, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said the carrier would take at least a week to reach the Middle East.