The US military confirmed on Sunday that three men were killed when it struck a boat allegedly engaged in narco-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. This latest attack brings the total death toll of the US campaign to at least 185, according to an Agence France-Presse tally.
Details of the Strike
The US Southern Command stated on X that the vessel was operated by designated terrorist organizations and that intelligence confirmed it was traveling along known narco-trafficking routes. A military video showed the boat moving swiftly before an explosion engulfed it in flames. No US forces were injured in the operation.
Ongoing Campaign and Legal Concerns
This strike follows dozens of similar attacks on alleged drug boats since September. However, the Trump administration has not provided definitive evidence linking the targeted vessels to drug trafficking, prompting legal experts and rights groups to question the operations' legality. Critics argue the strikes may constitute extrajudicial killings, as they appear to target civilians who do not pose an immediate threat to the US.
The attacks began as the US built up its largest military presence in the region in generations, months before the January raid that seized former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro, now in New York facing drug trafficking charges, has pleaded not guilty.
President Donald Trump has characterized the US as being in an armed conflict with Latin American cartels, justifying the strikes as a necessary measure to curb drug flow into the United States.
