US airstrike kills two men on alleged drug‑running speedboat in eastern Pacific

The United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a speedboat in the eastern Pacific, killing two men who were alleged to be transporting narcotics. The strike, announced on Wednesday night (local Greek time), was described by SOUTHCOM as targeting a vessel operating on known narco‑trafficking routes and designated as a terrorist organization.

The operation is part of a campaign that began in September 2025 under the direction of the Trump administration, with more than 200 deaths reported from similar strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean. A previous strike on Saturday killed three people. UN experts have criticised the attacks as extrajudicial killings, noting the lack of publicly disclosed evidence that the vessels were engaged in illegal activity.

The Southcom commander's tweet on June 3 referenced the strike, stating: “at the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.”