U.S. forces killed five suspected narco-terrorists on two drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific, a move that has intensified scrutiny over the Pentagon’s anti-smuggling campaign.
Strike Details
On Thursday, the U.S. military carried out two separate attacks on vessels moving along “known narco-trafficking routes” in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The strikes were announced on the social platform X and were accompanied by a 30-second video that shows both boats being struck.
Casualties
The first boat suffered the loss of three individuals, while the second vessel’s strike killed two more. No U.S. troops were injured during either operation.
Target Description
Southern Command (Southcom) described the boats as being operated by members of designated terrorist organizations, though it did not identify the specific groups. The vessels were said to be “engaged in narco-trafficking operations”.
Campaign Context
These attacks bring the total number of people killed in the Pentagon’s ongoing campaign to over 100. Since the campaign began in early September, the U.S. military has conducted at least 26 strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 104 narco-terrorists.
September 2 Operation
The most controversial mission occurred on September 2, when four strikes were launched against a single alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean. A subsequent attack during that operation reportedly killed two survivors who were clinging to the boat, a fact highlighted in a Washington Post investigation.
Congressional Response
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said on Thursday that he has seen “no evidence of war crimes” in that operation. He denied any wrongdoing on the part of the U.S. forces.
Legal Debate
Some Democrats and law-of-war experts argue that the follow-up strike violated international law. They contend that the second attack, which killed survivors, breached established norms.
Key Takeaways
- Five narco-terrorists were killed in two Pacific strikes.
- The campaign now exceeds 100 fatalities, with 104 killed in 26 strikes.
- The September 2 mission remains contentious, with allegations of war-crime and international-law violations.
The U.S. military maintains that its operations target drug-trafficking vessels operated by terrorist organizations, and it continues to press the campaign as a counter-terrorism effort.
