BBC Photo
Source: BBC News
DST News: The United States has carried out a second airstrike on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean, escalating its maritime campaign against seaborne narcotics smuggling.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that three people were killed in Wednesday’s strike, while no American personnel were injured. The operation came just a day after another suspected drug boat was hit in the same region, killing two people. Both vessels were reportedly transporting drugs along known smuggling routes in international waters.
These incidents mark the first US airstrikes on suspected drug vessels in the Pacific, following seven previous operations in the Caribbean since 2 September. “At the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out yet another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization,” Hegseth posted on X, describing the targets as “narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities.”
A video shared by Hegseth shows a small boat engulfed in flames after being bombed, followed by a second strike on floating debris.
President Donald Trump defended the legality of targeting vessels in international waters and suggested he might seek congressional approval if the campaign expands to land-based operations. “We’re totally prepared to do that,” Trump said, indicating a possible escalation of anti-drug missions.
So far, US airstrikes on alleged drug boats have killed at least 37 people. Two survivors of a recent Caribbean strike were returned to Colombia and Ecuador, though one was later released due to lack of evidence.
The strikes have strained Washington’s ties with Colombia, as Trump accused President Gustavo Petro of enabling drug production, calling him “a thug and a bad guy.” Trump further warned of “serious action” against Colombia and ended US subsidies to the country.
Experts note that the Pacific route now carries the bulk of cocaine trafficked toward the US, while seizures in the Caribbean—though increasing—remain smaller. Despite the growing number of strikes, American officials have released little information on the identities of those killed or their affiliations.
Currently, around 10,000 US troops, along with numerous aircraft and naval vessels, are engaged in the expanded anti-drug operation across the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans.
