U.S. forces launched an attack on a boat suspected of drug smuggling in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, resulting in one fatality and two survivors. This incident marks at least 208 deaths from military strikes targeting “narcoterrorists” since September, according to U.S. Southern Command.
The strike targeted vessels along known smuggling routes without providing evidence of drug trafficking. A video posted on X showed a boat traveling before being hit by the strike and engulfed in flames.
U.S. Coast Guard was notified to activate Search and Rescue for survivors. President Trump has declared an “armed conflict” with cartels, justifying attacks as necessary to curb drug flow into the U.S. However, little evidence supports these claims.
Critics question the legality of boat strikes due to fentanyl’s land-based trafficking from Mexico, where it is produced using Chinese and Indian chemicals. The Pentagon’s watchdog will examine if the targeting framework was followed during these strikes but not their legality.