US military kills two in strike on alleged drug-trafficking vessel in eastern Pacific

The US military conducted a lethal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people suspected of involvement in drug trafficking.

The operation was carried out by the US Southern Command as part of an ongoing campaign against so-called "narco-terrorists" in Latin America.

US Southern Command confirmed that intelligence indicated the targeted vessel was transiting known narcotics trafficking routes and was engaged in illicit operations.

The strike was directed by General Francis L Donovan through Joint Task Force Southern Spear, the counter-narcotics unit operating in the region.

The military released an unclassified video showing the destruction of the small boat involved in the strike.

This incident brings the total number of people killed in similar US operations since September 2025 to at least 182.

The campaign represents a sustained US effort to disrupt drug trafficking networks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

The Trump administration has framed these strikes as necessary to combat drug cartels and reduce overdose deaths in the United States.

However, the campaign has faced criticism and legal challenges.

There is no publicly available definitive evidence confirming the vessels' involvement in drug trafficking.

International legal experts and rights groups argue that these strikes may constitute extrajudicial killings, targeting civilians who do not pose an immediate threat to the US.

Families of victims, including two men from Trinidad killed in a previous strike, have filed lawsuits against the US government.

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