The U.S. military announced on Monday that it conducted a strike against a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in one fatality. U.S. Southern Command stated that intelligence indicated the low-profile vessel was operating along established narco-trafficking routes and was involved in drug smuggling operations. Southern Command did not provide evidence supporting the claim that the vessel was engaged in drug smuggling.
Incident Details
A video released by U.S. Southern Command displays water impacts near one side of the vessel. Following a second impact, the rear section of the boat ignites. Further impacts surround the craft, and the fire intensifies. The video concludes with the vessel adrift, accompanied by a significant area of fire.
Previous videos of U.S. vessel strikes have depicted sudden explosions, suggesting the use of missile strikes. Some of these videos showed projectile-like objects descending onto the boats.
Context and Scrutiny
The Trump administration has stated that these strikes are intended to disrupt the flow of illicit drugs into the U.S. and to exert pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Since early September, at least 105 individuals have reportedly died across 29 documented strikes. These operations have drawn scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and human rights advocates. Critics assert that the administration has provided insufficient evidence to confirm that its targets are indeed drug smugglers and characterize the fatal strikes as extrajudicial killings.
Concurrently, the U.S. Coast Guard has increased its efforts to intercept oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea, aligning with the Trump administration's broader campaign against President Maduro.