Latest US military strike on alleged drug boat kills 3 in eastern Pacific
A U.S. military operation in the eastern Pacific Ocean left three people dead on Sunday after forces targeted a vessel suspected of drug trafficking, according to a statement shared online by U.S. Southern Command.
The strike is part of an ongoing campaign ordered by President Donald Trump that began in early September, focusing on vessels believed to be moving narcotics through waters off Latin America. The effort has resulted in at least 186 deaths so far and has included similar actions in the Caribbean Sea.
On April 26, 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… pic.twitter.com/br2znnUM1x
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) April 27, 2026
Despite the scale of the operation, officials have not publicly presented evidence confirming that any of the targeted boats were actually carrying illegal drugs.
Following the latest strike, Southern Command released footage showing a fast-moving boat moments before it was hit and burst into flames. The military reiterated that the vessel was traveling along routes commonly associated with smuggling activity.
The campaign coincided with a major buildup of U.S. military forces in the region, the largest in decades, and came ahead of a January raid that resulted in the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. He was transported to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has entered a plea of not guilty.
However, the strategy has drawn criticism, with opponents raising concerns about whether the attacks comply with international law.
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