Military officials announced Monday that U.S. forces conducted a fatal strike against a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean’s eastern waters, resulting in two deaths.
This ongoing military operation targeting alleged narcotics smuggling boats in Latin American waters has now lasted over seven months, continuing despite the military’s focus on the Iran conflict for more than six weeks.
Monday’s action marked the second consecutive day of announced strikes by U.S. Southern Command through social media channels. Officials reported Sunday that forces destroyed two vessels in the eastern Pacific on Saturday, resulting in five deaths and one survivor whose current status remains unknown.
Following Monday’s operation, the death toll from these maritime strikes has reached at least 170 people since the campaign launched in early September, occurring months before the January U.S. operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro now faces drug trafficking charges in New York and has entered a not guilty plea.
U.S. Southern Command reiterated earlier statements claiming the strikes targeted suspected drug traffickers operating along established smuggling corridors. Military officials did not present evidence confirming the vessel was transporting narcotics. They shared footage on X depicting a small watercraft before an explosion engulfs it in smoke.
President Donald Trump has characterized the U.S. as being in “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, defending these operations as essential escalation to reduce drug imports and American overdose deaths. However, his administration has provided minimal evidence supporting claims of eliminating “narcoterrorists.”
Trump appeared to reference these maritime strike tactics Monday while issuing fresh warnings to Tehran as an Iranian port blockade commenced.
“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
