The United States military has confirmed the deaths of two individuals following a naval strike on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in international waters. The incident, which occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean, marks a significant escalation in a long-running maritime interdiction campaign.
Details of the Latest Engagement
According to a statement from US Southern Command, the strike was a "lethal kinetic strike" carried out on Monday. The command stated that intelligence had confirmed the boat was transiting known narco-trafficking routes and was actively involved in illicit operations. The action was taken "at the direction of" Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Pentagon released video footage of the engagement. This latest action brings the total number of known naval attacks on suspected drug smuggling vessels to 30 since September. Official US military figures now indicate that at least 107 people have been killed in these operations.
Trump's Claims and Justification
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to justify the aggressive tactics. He has made the unsubstantiated claim that each intercepted shipment would have led to the deaths of 25,000 Americans.
In a further controversial statement over the weekend, Trump told a New York radio show that the US had "knocked out … a big plant, or a big facility" in Venezuela, allegedly a launch point for drug boats. He provided no evidence for this alleged strike, which has not been officially disclosed.
When questioned by reporters on Monday, Trump doubled down on his assertion. "There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs," he stated ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida. "So we hit all the boats and now we hit the area… that is no longer around." Neither the White House nor the Pentagon has offered any corroborating details.
An Ongoing and Lethal Campaign
The US military emphasised that no American personnel were harmed during the operation. Images and announcements related to these strikes have been publicly posted on the social media platform X, which is owned by Elon Musk.
This incident underscores the intensity and lethal nature of the United States' ongoing maritime campaign against suspected drug trafficking in the Pacific. The rising death toll and the political rhetoric surrounding the operations continue to draw significant international attention and scrutiny.
