The U.S. military has conducted a series of strikes against boats accused of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. On Sunday, two boats were destroyed, resulting in five deaths and one survivor. This followed a strike on Monday that killed two more people.
These attacks bring the total number of fatalities to at least 170 since the campaign began in early September, targeting those the administration calls “narcoterrorists.” The military has not provided evidence to support claims that the vessels were actively involved in drug trafficking. Videos posted online show boats exploding after being targeted along known smuggling routes.
President Trump has stated the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels and justified the strikes as a means to combat the flow of drugs into the country. Simultaneously, a naval blockade of Iranian ports has taken effect, with Trump warning that any ships approaching the blockade will be “immediately ELIMINATED,” using the same tactics employed against alleged drug traffickers at sea.