The U.S. military conducted a strike on a vessel suspected of transporting narcotics in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday, killing two men and leaving one survivor. Video released by U.S. Southern Command shows the boat being hit by what appears to be a missile, followed by an explosion and a column of fire. Southern Command stated that it immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the search and rescue system for the survivor.
This incident is part of a campaign of strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters, including the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific, that has been active since early September. These operations have killed at least 193 people in total. The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs, though strikes have ramped up in recent weeks.
The campaign aligns with a new U.S. counterterrorism strategy signed by President Donald Trump, which sets the elimination of drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere as the administration’s highest priority. President Trump has pressed regional leaders to work more closely with the U.S. and take military action against transnational gangs and cartels he claims pose an unacceptable threat to national security. Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes.