The US military has announced it killed eight individuals it described as 'narco-terrorists' in targeted strikes on three boats in the Pacific Ocean. The action, ordered by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, marks a continued escalation in President Donald Trump's declared war against international drug cartels.
Details of the Pacific Strikes
According to the US Southern Command, the strikes targeted vessels it accused of smuggling drugs. Three people were killed on the first boat, two on the second, and three on the third. The military stated the operations were conducted against "designated terrorist organisations" and claimed intelligence indicated the boats were using known drug trafficking routes.
However, no concrete evidence of drug trafficking from the targeted vessels has been publicly provided. The US military later posted a video of the strikes on social media platform X. This incident follows a pattern of similar actions, with Sky News verifying that 23 boats have been targeted in 22 strikes over a four-month period up to 10 December, resulting in 87 fatalities.
Expanding the 'War' on Cartels
These latest maritime strikes are part of a broader military build-up. The US has significantly increased its presence in the southern Caribbean in recent months with the stated aim of combating drug trafficking. This campaign has also seen operations near Venezuela, including the seizure of a crude oil tanker named 'Skipper' last week.
The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned that seizure as a "blatant theft" and "act of international piracy," alleging the real US objective is to force him from power. The Trump administration's strategy took a further formal step on Monday, 15 December, when the President signed an executive order declaring fentanyl a "weapon of mass destruction."
This order mandates the State and Treasury departments to pursue sanctions and target the financial assets of groups involved in fentanyl trafficking. It also calls for enhanced cooperation between the Pentagon and the Justice Department on narcotics issues.
Political Scrutiny and Briefings
The latest lethal strikes occur as political scrutiny of the administration's military actions intensifies. Defence Secretary Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to provide closed-door briefings to all members of Congress on Capitol Hill. These sessions are expected to address growing questions about the legal and strategic rationale behind the expanding use of military force against alleged drug traffickers.
The White House's first acknowledged lethal strike in this campaign occurred on 2 September, when it announced an action against "narcoterrorists" allegedly shipping fentanyl to the US, again without presenting public evidence of the specific crime.
