U.S. conducts two more strikes on alleged drug boats in eastern Pacific, killing five
Southern Command says vessels were smuggling narcotics; no evidence released publicly
The U.S. military said Thursday it conducted two additional strikes against boats it says were smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific, killing five people. The strikes bring the total number of known boat strikes to 28, with at least 104 people killed, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration. Officials said the boats were operating along established narco-trafficking routes.
The U.S. Southern Command posted on social media that intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations, though it did not provide evidence. It posted videos of each boat speeding through the water before being struck by an explosion. The military said three people in one vessel and two in the other were killed.
The attacks are part of an ongoing campaign to interdict drug shipments in the eastern Pacific, which began earlier this year. The first attack occurred in early September and involved a follow-up strike that killed two survivors clinging to wreckage after the first hit.
The administration is facing increasing scrutiny from lawmakers over the campaign. Some members have questioned the legal basis and civilian risks, seeking more transparency about the operation.
President Donald Trump has justified the strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and has said the United States is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels. The campaign has been defended by officials as targeted actions against narco-trafficking networks, but critics have urged clearer reporting on outcomes and humanitarian implications.
The military says the campaign will continue as needed under ongoing oversight and authorization.