US Military Strikes on Drug Boats Kill Over 221

The U.S. military has carried out a campaign of strikes on vessels it says are used for drug trafficking, resulting in at least 221 deaths and the destruction of 67 boats. The operation, described by the Trump administration as an "armed conflict" against drug cartels, began with its first strike on September 2 and most recently targeted a boat on June 21.

Officials say 26 people survived the attacks, with three briefly detained before being returned to their home countries. The administration classifies those killed as "unlawful combatants," allowing lethal force without judicial review based on a classified Justice Department finding. Human‑rights groups and some members of Congress have questioned the legal basis and the lack of public evidence that the boats carried narcotics or were linked to cartels. No U.S. service members were reported injured in the strikes.