The US military has carried out a fresh strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing three men, according to the US Southern Command. The latest attack comes as the Pentagon faces growing scrutiny over the legality and conduct of its anti-narcotics operations in the region. In a statement posted on X on Friday (May 29), US Southern Command said the strike was conducted on May 29 under the direction of General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the military unit responsible for operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On May 29, at the direction of <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SOUTHCOM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOUTHCOM</a> commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking… <a href="https://t.co/ynibuPqDd3">pic.twitter.com/ynibuPqDd3</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://x.com/Southcom/status/2060519686240886879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/short-videos/ebola-misinformation-fuels-violence-as-congo-rebuilds-treatment-centre-1780110038178">Ebola Misinformation Fuels Violence as Congo Rebuilds Treatment Centre</a>&nbsp;"Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations," the command said. It added that intelligence had confirmed the vessel was travelling along known drug-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was engaged in narcotics smuggling activities. The military, however, did not provide evidence to support its claims that the boat was involved in drug trafficking or that it was operated by a designated terrorist organisation.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cywyddau-who-is-shrey-parikh-indian-origin-teen-wins-america-s-biggest-spelling-competition-takes-home-50-000-prize-scripps-national-1780033420442">'Cywyddau': Who is Shrey Parikh? Indian-origin teen wins America's biggest spelling competition, takes home $50,000 prize</a>&nbsp;The latest operation is part of a months-long campaign targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific. According to US Defence Department estimates, Southern Command has attacked nearly 60 small boats since the campaign began last year, resulting in the deaths of 193 people before the latest strike. The three deaths reported on Friday take the overall toll to more than 200. The operation has drawn increasing criticism from legal experts and human rights advocates, who have questioned the basis for the strikes and the intelligence used to identify targets.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gujarat-student-stabbed-to-death-in-canada-family-informed-12-days-after-murder-1780079476896">Gujarat Student Stabbed To Death In Canada, Family Informed 12 Days After Murder</a>

The US military killed three people in a strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific, raising the campaign's death toll past 200 amid growing legal scrutiny.

The US military has carried out a fresh strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing three men, according to the US Southern Command. The latest attack comes as the Pentagon faces growing scrutiny over the legality and conduct of its anti-narcotics operations in the region. In a statement posted on X on Friday (May 29), US Southern Command said the strike was conducted on May 29 under the direction of General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the military unit responsible for operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The US military killed three people in a strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific, raising the campaign's death toll past 200 amid growing legal scrutiny.

US military strike on suspected drug-smuggling vessel kills 3 in Eastern Pacific

President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. “destroyed” key command centers tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), sharply escalating tensions. Trump warned Tehran against retaliation, saying any response would be met with overwhelming force. The statement raises concerns over regional stability, possible military escalation, and the future of U.S.–Iran relations.

Iran War: US 'Destroys' IRGC's Command Facilities: Trump Warns Retaliation

The US military Southern Command has announced that it has carried out a kinetic strike on a vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on February 9, Monday. The strike resulted in the death of two people aboard the vessel; one person is reported to be alive and is now the subject of a search and rescue operation led by the US Coast Guard. The military claimed that the boat was suspected of being involved in drug trafficking, without providing any supporting evidence.&nbsp;“On Feb. 9, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations,” read a post by US military southern command.<h2>The third US strike since the abduction of Maduro</h2>These recent attacks bring the total number of attacks on alleged dug boats in the Pacific to three since the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the early hours of January 3. According to a report by the NYT, the US has now carried out a total of 38 attacks against 39 vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean oceans since September, including the latest strike on Monday, killing at least 130 people. The recent strike on the alleged drug boat was authorised by Gen Francis L Donovan, a Marine who became the head of US SOUTHCOM last week.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cartel-de-los-soles-myth-trump-venezuela-1767690359221">DOJ silently admits there is no drug trafficking group named Cartel de los Soles</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On Feb. 9, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOUTHCOM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOUTHCOM</a> commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking… <a href="https://t.co/fa5vppjcCy">pic.twitter.com/fa5vppjcCy</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2021023735881564262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>US military strikes in the Pacific under legal scrutiny&nbsp;</h2>The strikes have drawn significant scrutiny, internally and externally. Legal and military experts have called the deliberate attacking and killing of unarmed civilians in international waters illegal. This is irrespective of their alleged involvement in criminal activity. The September 2 attack, which marked the initiation of the series of “extrajudicial killings” in international waters, has drawn bipartisan scrutiny from the US Congress, specifically for the “double-tap” nature of the strikes. In late 2025, the US Congress blocked 25 per cent of the travel budget for Secretary of War Pete Hegseth until the release of the unedited footage of the September 2 strike. However, the unedited video footage has not been released yet. But as the US Congress debates the legality of the operation, the military campaign expands.&nbsp;

The US Southern Command carried out a lethal strike on an alleged drug trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing two people. The expanding maritime campaign has drawn bipartisan criticism and legal scrutiny over extrajudicial killings in international waters.

The US military Southern Command has announced that it has carried out a kinetic strike on a vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on February 9, Monday. The strike resulted in the death of two people aboard the vessel; one person is reported to be alive and is now the subject of a search and rescue operation led by the US Coast Guard. The military claimed that the boat was suspected of being involved in drug trafficking, without providing any supporting evidence. “On Feb. 9, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations,” read a post by US military southern command. The third US strike since the abduction of Maduro These recent attacks bring the total number of attacks on alleged dug boats in the Pacific to three since the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the early hours of January 3. According to a report by the NYT, the US has now carried out a total of 38 attacks against 39 vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean oceans since September, including the latest strike on Monday, killing at least 130 people. The recent strike on the alleged drug boat was authorised by Gen Francis L Donovan, a Marine who became the head of US SOUTHCOM last week. Also Read: DOJ silently admits there is no drug trafficking group named Cartel de los Soles

The US Southern Command carried out a lethal strike on an alleged drug trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing two people. The expanding maritime campaign has drawn bipartisan criticism and legal scrutiny over extrajudicial killings in international waters.

US military strike on alleged drug boat in Eastern Pacific kills two

A US missile strike targeting an airbase in central Syria killed nine civilians, including four children, on Friday, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

The news agency said five of the civilians, among them three children, were killed in the village of Shayrat just outside the base of the same name.

&quot;An American missile also hit the village of Al-Hamrat, which killed four civilians including a child,&quot; it added.&nbsp;

&quot;Another seven civilians were wounded when a missile hit homes in Al-Manzul, four kilometres (two and a half miles) away from the Shayrat air base,&quot; it added.&nbsp;

Washington said it fired a barrage of 59 cruise missiles at the Shayrat base in response to what President Donald Trump called a &quot;barbaric&quot; chemical attack on a rebel-held town on Tuesday that he blamed on the Damascus regime.

The Pentagon said it believed the aircraft that carried out the deadly attack on Khan Sheikhun came from the Shayrat base.&nbsp;

US officials said Russian commanders in Syria were informed of the strike beforehand in order to avoid casualties that could prompt a broader crisis.

The Syrian army had said earlier that six people were killed in the strike on the base &nbsp;-- the first time that the US has directly attacked the government of President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

(AFP)

US officials said Russian commanders in Syria were informed of the strike beforehand in order to avoid casualties

A US missile strike targeting an airbase in central Syria killed nine civilians, including four children, on Friday, Syrian state news agency SANA reported. The news agency said five of the civilians, among them three children, were killed in the village of Shayrat just outside the base of the same name. "An American missile also hit the village of Al-Hamrat, which killed four civilians including a child," it added. "Another seven civilians were wounded when a missile hit homes in Al-Manzul, four kilometres (two and a half miles) away from the Shayrat air base," it added. Washington said it fired a barrage of 59 cruise missiles at the Shayrat base in response to what President Donald Trump called a "barbaric" chemical attack on a rebel-held town on Tuesday that he blamed on the Damascus regime. The Pentagon said it believed the aircraft that carried out the deadly attack on Khan Sheikhun came from the Shayrat base. US officials said Russian commanders in Syria were informed of the strike beforehand in order to avoid casualties that could prompt a broader crisis. The Syrian army had said earlier that six people were killed in the strike on the base -- the first time that the US has directly attacked the government of President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP)

4 children among 9 civilians dead in US Syria strike: Syrian state media

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US military strike on suspected drug-smuggling vessel kills 3 in Eastern Pacific

Iran War: US 'Destroys' IRGC's Command Facilities: Trump Warns Retaliation

US military strike on alleged drug boat in Eastern Pacific kills two

4 children among 9 civilians dead in US Syria strike: Syrian state media