US conducts lethal strike on suspected drug boat, 4 killed in attack | Video
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US launched another strike on alleged drug smuggling boat Photograph: (X (@SecWar))
The US military have carried out lethal strikes on drug-smuggling boats in the Pacific, killing over 60 people. The operations have sparked international condemnation
On Wednesday (October 29), the US military launched another airstrike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Pacific as part of its ongoing anti-drug operations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike on the boat, which was allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. "Today, following an order from President Trump, we executed a targeted strike on a narcotics smuggling vessel associated with a Designated Terrorist Organisation (DTO) in the Eastern Pacific," Hegseth wrote on X. He emphasised that the vessel was monitored by US intelligence, traveling along a known smuggling route, and carrying illegal substances. The four men aboard the vessel were identified as narcotraffickers and were killed in the attack, which occurred in international waters. Fortunately, no US personnel were harmed.
This incident comes a day after similar strikes on four vessels in the region, which killed over a dozen people. With these recent operations, the total death toll has now crossed 60. The escalation is part of the US's broader strategy to disrupt drug trafficking that enters its borders, though the campaign has faced significant backlash, particularly from Latin American countries.
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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum strongly condemned the attacks, saying at a press conference that Mexico does not support such military actions and calling for adherence to international treaties. She instructed her foreign ministry and navy to engage with the US ambassador to address the issue. The strikes, carried out under the directive of President Trump, have stirred controversy. Several members of Congress, across both parties, have questioned the legality of the operations and whether the president had the constitutional authority to order them.
US actions in the region have intensified tensions with Colombia and Venezuela, both of which have voiced opposition to these military measures. Hegseth defended the strikes, asserting that the targeted vessels were known to be smuggling narcotics and were eliminated as part of efforts to curtail the flow of drugs into the US. The US military has focused its efforts in the Caribbean and now the Pacific, significantly expanding its anti-drug campaign.
