The U.S. military has struck another vessel suspected of transporting drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two men. The incident occurred on Wednesday, just a day after a similar strike on an alleged drug boat in the same region resulted in one death and two survivors.
Details of the Strike
U.S. Southern Command released video footage on social media showing a boat resting on the water before being hit by an explosion. The final seconds of the clip depict smoke and flames rising from the vessel. Southern Command stated that it "immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors."
Broader Campaign
This operation is part of an ongoing campaign by the Trump administration targeting alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters, including the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. Since early September, the campaign has resulted in at least 196 deaths. However, the military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs.
Pentagon Review
The Pentagon watchdog announced last week that it will evaluate whether the U.S. military followed an established targeting framework when carrying out these attacks. The six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle includes a military commander's intent, target development, analysis, decision, execution, and assessment. The Pentagon inspector general's office described the review as "self-initiated" and noted that it will not examine the legality of the strikes, which have drawn intense scrutiny from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal scholars.
The Trump administration maintains that the U.S. is at war against Latin American drug cartels, which it holds responsible for the fatal drug overdose epidemic affecting many American communities.
