US military says strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat kills two
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The US military said it struck a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific on Sunday, killing two people. US Southern Command said the strike targeted a vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes. The operation comes as the Pentagon's inspector general reviews targeting procedures for the ongoing campaign against cartels.
Key Facts
- The strike occurred on Sunday in the Eastern Pacific and killed two people, according to US Southern Command.
- US Southern Command said confirmed intelligence showed the vessel was actively involved in narco-trafficking.
- The operation was executed by Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere under the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan.
- More than 200 people have been killed in strikes across the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean since Operation Southern Spear began in early September, according to an AFP tally.
- The Pentagon's inspector general said in May it would review whether the military followed standard targeting procedures, though the evaluation will not examine the legal authority behind the strikes.
The Strike
US Southern Command said Sunday's strike targeted a vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific. Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel's active involvement in narco-trafficking, SOUTHCOM added. Grainy, black-and-white video accompanying the post appeared to show a boat moving through the water immediately before a large explosion. The post stated that under the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan, the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal kinetic strike on the low-profile vessel.
Command Response
Donovan was quoted as saying, "We are committed to imposing total systemic friction on narco-terrorists — disrupting their operations, dismantling their leadership and eliminating cartel terror across the region." He added, "Let me be clear, we will not permit narco-terrorists to operate with impunity in the Western Hemisphere, nor will we allow their deadly poison to reach American communities." Donovan described the operation as "a powerful demonstration of our lethal precision, overwhelming capability, and absolute resolve to protect the U.S. homeland."
Operation Southern Spear
The US military launched Operation Southern Spear in early September, with President Donald Trump arguing that Washington is effectively at war with Latin American drug cartels. Since then, more than 200 people have been killed in strikes across the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, according to a tally by the AFP news agency. However, the Trump administration has not provided definitive evidence that the targeted vessels were involved in drug trafficking. Legal experts and rights groups warn that the attacks could amount to extrajudicial killings. The Pentagon's inspector general said in May that it would review whether the military followed standard targeting procedures, though the evaluation will not examine the legal authority behind the strikes.
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US military says strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat kills two
