The U.S. military conducted another operation on Tuesday targeting a vessel believed to be involved in drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of three individuals.
In a statement shared on social media, U.S. Southern Command indicated that Gen. Francis L. Donovan had authorized a “lethal kinetic strike” against a boat purportedly operated by “Designated Terrorist Organizations” engaged in narcotics trafficking. However, the command did not provide supporting evidence for these claims. Accompanying the announcement was an unclassified video showing the strike.
This military action followed a similar incident the previous day, where U.S. forces attacked a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of two people.
The campaign initiated by the Trump administration to target alleged drug traffickers in Latin American waters began in early September and has resulted in the deaths of at least 190 individuals, as reported by the Pentagon.
Despite ongoing conflicts, including the situation in Iran, these strikes have intensified in recent weeks, reflecting the administration’s commitment to combat what it refers to as “narcoterrorism” in the Western Hemisphere. The military has not provided any evidence that the vessels involved were indeed carrying illegal drugs.
The operations emerged as the U.S. established its largest military presence in the region in decades, occurring several months prior to the January raid that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was subsequently brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, U.S. Southern Command reiterated its focus on targeting suspected drug traffickers along established smuggling routes, sharing a video on X that depicted a boat before a substantial explosion engulfed it in flames.
President Trump has characterized the U.S. as being in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels in Latin America, defending the military actions as essential to curb the influx of drugs into the United States and the associated overdose fatalities affecting American citizens. Nonetheless, the administration has provided minimal evidence to substantiate its assertions regarding the elimination of “narcoterrorists.”
Critics have raised concerns about the legal implications surrounding these maritime strikes.
