The U.S. military carried out another strike on Tuesday against a vessel suspected of transporting drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in one fatality and two survivors.
Video footage released by U.S. Southern Command depicts a boat speeding across the water before erupting into flames. Southern Command stated it "immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors."
This incident is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration, which has been blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters, including the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea, since early September.
These operations have led to at least 194 deaths in total. Notably, the military has not presented evidence confirming that any of the targeted vessels were actually carrying drugs.
Last week, the Pentagon watchdog announced it would evaluate whether the U.S. military adhered to an established targeting framework during these attacks. The six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle encompasses a military commander’s intent, target development, analysis, decision, execution, and assessment.
The Pentagon inspector general’s office clarified that its review was "self-initiated" and would not investigate the legality of the strikes, which have drawn significant scrutiny from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal scholars.
The Trump administration defends these actions by asserting the U.S. is at war against Latin American drug cartels, which it blames for the fatal drug overdose crisis affecting many American communities.
