The US military reported on Thursday that it had killed five alleged drug traffickers aboard two vessels in the Pacific Ocean, bringing the total death toll from its controversial campaign to over 100.
The strikes, which have been conducted in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, have drawn criticism due to a lack of evidence linking the boats to drug trafficking. The US Southern Command stated on X that the two vessels were engaged in narco-trafficking operations in international waters.
According to an Agence France-Presse tally based on official data, the strikes have now killed 104 people. The latest incident involved three deaths on one vessel and two on another.
The campaign has faced legal scrutiny, particularly after a September operation where a second strike killed survivors of an initial attack on the same vessel, prompting accusations of a war crime. Additionally, the use of the military for anti-drug efforts and President Trump's threats of a potential land strike in Venezuela have raised questions about whether congressional authorisation is required.
The House of Representatives rejected two Democratic resolutions on Wednesday that sought to halt the strikes and any hostilities in or against Venezuela without congressional approval.
