U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed on Wednesday that the American military conducted another operation targeting a vessel suspected of transporting drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of all four individuals on board. This action followed three similar strikes in the same area the previous day, eliminating a total of 14 individuals as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts against drug cartels operating in South American waters.
Hegseth, who had been on a trip to Japan and Malaysia, shared on social media that intelligence data indicated the boat was “traveling through a known route for narcotics trafficking and carrying illicit substances.” The attack took place in international waters without any harm to U.S. forces, as depicted in a video showing the vessel engulfed in flames and smoke.
The U.S. government has been executing an extensive campaign in the region for nearly two months, deploying a substantial fleet of warships with marines and aircraft. Speculation has arisen that these maneuvers may be targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accused by the U.S. of involvement in narcoterrorism. However, experts have raised concerns about the legality of the strikes, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 61 individuals.
President Donald Trump has defended the boat attacks as necessary measures to combat drug trafficking into the U.S., citing an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, akin to the authorization used by the Bush administration post-9/11. Nevertheless, the escalating number of strikes has prompted a Congressional debate on the extent of the president’s authority, with questions raised regarding the lack of concrete evidence supporting the operations.
The lack of transparency around the targeted boats, their alleged ties to drug syndicates, and the identities of those killed in the strikes has fueled skepticism. Hegseth’s announcement of the latest strike marks the 14th operation conducted since the commencement of the campaign.