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The United States carried out a second lethal strike on a vessel allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean, killing three people, according to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. No US personnel were harmed in the operation.
The strike comes just hours after a previous attack on another boat, which resulted in the deaths of two individuals. Both strikes mark the first US military actions against suspected drug smuggling in Pacific waters, as prior operations were largely concentrated in the Caribbean.
Hegseth described the targets as “narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities” and confirmed that US operations would continue. President Donald Trump stated that the strikes were conducted under his legal authority and hinted at potential expansion onto land targets, which would represent a significant escalation.
Colombia’s government condemned the strikes, calling them “disproportionate and outside international law.” Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo criticized the attacks, emphasizing that those aboard had “no possibility to defend themselves” and urging the US to cooperate with Colombia rather than unilaterally striking vessels in international waters.
Ecuador’s government also expressed concerns after a recent strike, repatriating one survivor and clearing him of wrongdoing, while another remains hospitalized. Both nations, with significant Pacific coastlines, are key routes for cocaine trafficking north to the United States.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that most cocaine destined for US cities passes through the Pacific, highlighting the strategic importance of these operations. However, US officials have provided limited information regarding the identities of those killed or the organizations involved.
Around 10,000 US troops, supported by military aircraft and naval vessels, are part of the ongoing anti-drug campaign in the Caribbean and Pacific. To date, at least 37 people have been killed in US strikes targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels.
