U.S. Military Strikes on Drug Traffickers
The U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced on Monday that it conducted military strikes on three ships involved in drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals linked to narco-terrorism.
In a video posted on social media, SOUTHCOM shared unclassified footage of the attacks, stating that intelligence had confirmed the vessels were operating along well-known drug smuggling routes in the area.
The airstrikes were ordered by Army Secretary Pete Hegseth. SOUTHCOM specified that the casualties included three individuals from the first ship, two from the second, and three from the third.
Since September, the U.S. military has launched over 20 precision strikes against drug-trafficking boats in the Pacific and Caribbean, resulting in approximately 90 deaths among those involved in narcotics.
Earlier this month, SOUTHCOM announced the killing of four suspected narco-terrorists in another assault on a similar vessel.
These attacks and the sustained U.S. military presence in Caribbean waters are part of President Donald Trump’s broader strategy to reduce drug influx into the U.S.
Interestingly, these operations have angered Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has faced multiple drug-terrorism charges from U.S. authorities, including a bounty of $50 million for information leading to his capture.
Accused of being a key figure in the Sunshine Cartel—a major international cocaine operation run by elements of the Venezuelan regime—Maduro’s government has dismissed claims about U.S. actions as part of an invasion plan, even labeling initial attacks as “fake.”
On the same night, President Trump also signed an executive order designating the potent opioid fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, emphasizing its lethal impact and the high death toll associated with it.
“With this historic executive order, we’re officially classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. It’s a chilling reality—there’s no other bomb that can do this,” Trump remarked, highlighting the staggering number of annual fatalities attributed to the drug.
