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The U.S. military carried out another strike on Sunday against a vessel suspected of drug smuggling in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people and leaving six survivors, according to military officials.
The strike is the latest in an ongoing campaign targeting what the Trump administration describes as “narcoterrorist” networks operating throughout Latin America. According to reports, the operation brings the total number of U.S. military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels to more than 60 since the campaign began in September.
“On June 21, 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. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” U.S. Southern Command posted to X.
“Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action, and there were six male survivors. Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” it added.
More than 210 people have reportedly been killed in the strikes, which have targeted boats traveling along known smuggling routes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean regions.
In a statement, United States Southern Command said the vessel was operating along a route commonly used by traffickers. Officials did not publicly provide evidence that the boat was carrying narcotics.
Video released by the military showed a speedboat moving through open water before being struck by a projectile and engulfed in flames.
President Donald Trump has defended the campaign, arguing that the United States is engaged in an armed conflict with criminal cartels responsible for trafficking drugs into the country. Administration officials contend that aggressive action is necessary to disrupt trafficking networks and reduce overdose deaths linked to fentanyl and other narcotics.
