U.S. Military’s Ongoing Strikes Against Alleged Drug Smugglers in the Pacific

The U.S. military conducted another strike against a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two individuals and leaving six survivors. This operation is part of an ongoing campaign against alleged trafficking in Latin America.

The latest attack marks over 60 strikes, resulting in the death of more than 210 people since the Trump administration began targeting those labeled as “narcoterrorists” in early September. The fate of the survivors from the recent strike remains unclear. The U.S. Central Command reported that the U.S. Coast Guard was notified, but there was no comment on the current situation. The Coast Guard had suspended search efforts for survivors from a previous strike on June 16, citing no signs of survivors or debris.

U.S. Southern Command stated that the strikes targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. However, the military did not provide public evidence that the vessel was smuggling drugs. A video posted on X showed a boat speeding through the water and being hit by a projectile, subsequently bursting into flames.

President Trump declared the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, justifying the strikes as essential to curb drug flow into the U.S. and prevent fatal overdoses. His administration has been criticized for providing limited evidence to justify its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.” Critics question the legality and effectiveness of the strikes, pointing out that fentanyl — responsible for many fatal U.S. overdoses — is mostly trafficked over land from Mexico, where it is produced using chemicals imported from China and India.

U.S. lawmakers requested the Pentagon release “unedited video” of the first strike following reports of a follow-up strike on survivors of an initial attack. Two men initially survived the attack that killed nine others. They were close to the wreckage when another strike occurred, killing them.

The White House confirmed the follow-up strike, claiming it was done “in self-defense” to ensure the destruction of the boat and in accordance with the laws of armed conflict. However, some legal scholars argued that a second strike killing survivors would be illegal under any circumstance.

In May, the Pentagon’s watchdog announced it would investigate whether the U.S. military adhered to an established targeting framework during the strikes. The evaluation focuses on the six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle, not the legality of the actions, according to the inspector general’s office.