The strike apparently killed 11 members of the group, which was designated a terrorist organization in February, and marked a significant shift from the U.S.’s previous seize-and-apprehend policy when countering international gang networks.

“The president of the United States has determined that narco-terrorist organizations pose a threat to the national security of the United States. I don’t need to explain to you why,” Rubio said, noting that the group is known to traffic not only drugs, but arms and people.

“These are not stockbrokers. These are not real estate agents who, on the side, deal a few drugs. These are organized, corporate, structured organizations who specialize in the trafficking of deadly drugs into the United States of America,” Rubio said. “They pose an immediate threat to the United States. Period.”

In speaking to reporters from Mexico, where he was also hashing out counter arms and narcotics agreements, Rubio argued the previous policy of seize and apprehend was ineffective.

“Because these drug cartels, what they do is they know they’re going to lose 2% of their cargo — they bake it into their economics,” he said. “What will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them.”