U.S. Military Hits Another Suspected Drug Boat in Pacific Strike/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The U.S. military confirmed another deadly strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific. One person was killed, though no public evidence of drug activity was released. The strike is part of a broader Trump administration campaign targeting narcotics and Venezuelan operations.
US Pacific Strike Quick Looks
- U.S. Southern Command confirms strike on suspected drug vessel
- One person killed; no evidence of drug smuggling presented
- Video shows the boat catching fire and drifting
- Part of broader Trump strategy to disrupt drug routes
- 105 killed in 29 strikes since early September
- Human rights groups question legality and transparency
- Accusations of extrajudicial killings surface amid ongoing scrutiny
- Coast Guard expands oil tanker seizures linked to Venezuela
Deep Look: U.S. Conducts Another Deadly Strike on Suspected Drug Boat in Eastern Pacific
WASHINGTON – The U.S. military announced Monday that it had carried out another targeted strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean, hitting a vessel it claims was involved in drug smuggling. According to U.S. Southern Command, one person was killed in the operation.
In a brief statement posted on social media, Southern Command asserted that the boat was a “low-profile vessel” navigating established narcotics routes and actively participating in smuggling operations. However, the military did not provide evidence publicly to substantiate the claim that the vessel was involved in drug trafficking.
A video released by U.S. Southern Command showed what appeared to be a multi-stage attack. In the footage, splashes of water can be seen near the boat, followed by a burst of fire at the vessel’s rear. As additional strikes hit the boat, flames engulfed the craft. The final moments depict the vessel adrift, surrounded by fire.
Unlike earlier U.S. strikes that showed dramatic explosions consistent with missile use, this video appears to involve a slower escalation, possibly indicating different ordnance or engagement methods. Past footage has clearly shown projectiles striking boats, with sudden and devastating explosions that left no time for escape.
This latest strike continues the Trump administration’s military-led campaign to curb narcotics trafficking, especially as it relates to pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Officials have tied the maritime operations to broader efforts to dismantle smuggling networks and intercept unauthorized shipments across key transit zones.
Since the campaign began in early September, there have been at least 29 confirmed strikes, resulting in the deaths of 105 individuals. Critics, including members of Congress and human rights organizations, have raised serious concerns about the transparency and accountability of the program. Many of the targets, they argue, have been struck without sufficient evidence linking them to drug trafficking or criminal activity.
The administration has been accused of authorizing extrajudicial killings, with some lawmakers demanding formal investigations into the legal justifications behind the operations. There has also been minimal clarity around how targets are selected, what intelligence is used, or whether any non-combatants have been harmed in the process.
While the military defends the strikes as necessary to stem the flow of drugs to the United States, pressure is mounting for the government to provide more transparency and to prove that its actions comply with both domestic and international law.
In parallel with the Pacific strikes, the U.S. Coast Guard has intensified its operations in the Caribbean Sea, targeting tankers suspected of helping Venezuela bypass sanctions. These interdictions are also part of the Trump administration’s expansive campaign to weaken the Maduro regime and disrupt its economic lifelines, particularly oil exports.
This evolving maritime campaign reflects a broader militarization of anti-narcotics and geopolitical strategy, with both the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea now central theaters in the administration’s approach to foreign policy enforcement.
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