U.S. Military Strike on Drug Smuggling Boat Kills Three in Eastern Pacific

The U.S. Southern Command reported that on Thursday a Navy strike hit a vessel it accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing three people. The attack is part of a campaign launched by the Trump administration in early September to target what it calls “narcoterrorists” linked to Latin‑American cartels. Since the campaign began, at least 211 people have been killed in similar boat strikes.

The Pentagon has not released evidence that the boat was carrying drugs, and the strike was followed by a second hit that killed two survivors still clinging to the wreckage. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and military‑law scholars, have questioned the legality of both strikes, especially the second one, which they say would be illegal under any circumstance. Senate members demanded the release of unedited video of the attacks. An inspector‑general review will examine whether the U.S. military adhered to its six‑phase Joint Targeting Cycle, though it will not address the broader legality of the operations.