The White House announced that U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against a suspected drug smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. This strike occurred shortly after separate strikes that reportedly killed 14 people in the same region.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated via social media that the newly named Department of War executed this attack against what he referred to as a “narco-trafficking vessel” operated by a designated terrorist organization. Hegseth did not specify the exact location of the strike but confirmed it took place in international waters. He mentioned that the vessel was believed to be involved in drug trafficking and was travelling along a known route for such activities.
The identities of the victims from this latest strike have not been disclosed. Hegseth emphasized that the vessel was known to U.S. intelligence as being associated with illicit narcotics smuggling.
During the time of the strike, President Donald Trump was concluding a three-nation visit in Asia, where he held discussions with various leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Earlier in the week, Hegseth reported three separate lethal strikes on boats accused of drug trafficking, leading to 14 fatalities and leaving one survivor.
This military campaign, initiated in early September, has included at least 14 strikes on approximately 15 vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 61 confirmed deaths.
Critics argue that these operations may violate international law and have raised ethical concerns regarding the legality of such actions against individuals classified as non-combatants. The United Nations has reiterated the importance of aligning counter-narcotics efforts with international law standards. The White House has not yet publicly provided evidence to substantiate the claims regarding the drug trafficking allegations linked to these strikes.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/30/us-says-it-killed-four-terrorists-in-latest-strike-on-alleged-drug-vessel?traffic_source=rss