U.S. Airstrike Targets Drug Smuggling Vessel in Pacific
The U.S. military has carried out an airstrike on a suspected drug trafficking ship located off the South American coast in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the destruction of the vessel and the deaths of two individuals identified as “narco-terrorists,” according to U.S. officials.
Interestingly, the specific group to which these individuals belonged hasn’t been disclosed.
This operation, conducted on Tuesday, marks the eighth airstrike carried out by the U.S. against drug smuggling vessels in recent months, with the previous seven occurring in the Caribbean region.
Moreover, this incident represents the first airstrike in the Pacific under the current administration, following a declaration from the Trump administration that it would engage in armed conflict with international drug cartels as part of a broader initiative to combat the global drug trade.
Since the start of this operation, at least 34 fatalities have been reported from these airstrikes.
In a statement released on Sunday, Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth shared a video of the strike, describing the ship as being “known to our intelligence services for its involvement in illegal drug smuggling.”
“Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of the Army conducted a lethal kinetic attack on a drug-trafficking vessel operated by a designated terrorist organization in the Eastern Pacific Ocean,” Hegseth stated.
“Our intelligence suggests that this vessel had a history of illegal drug trafficking and was identified as carrying narcotics at the time of the attack, which occurred in international waters. Both narco-terrorists on board were killed, and no U.S. forces were harmed,” he added.
“Those narco-terrorists attempting to bring poison to our shores will find no safe haven in our hemisphere. Just as al-Qaeda fought against our homeland, these cartels wage war against our borders and our people. There is no refuge, no forgiveness, only justice,” Hegseth emphasized.
However, the decision to use military force rather than Coast Guard intervention has faced criticism from some Democratic lawmakers who question the legality of such attacks compared to intercepting vessels. They also challenge the classification of drug cartels as participants in a “non-international armed conflict.”
Despite the pushback, both President Trump and Hegseth defended the strikes as part of a necessary “war” against international drug cartels, underlining the threats they pose to national security and public health.
Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) expressed concerns, stating, “When we stop vessels on the high seas, we usually board them and declare we’re searching for contraband. This is routine off the coast of Miami. Data shows that 25% of the time, there are no drugs aboard. If we start destroying every vessel we suspect may be transporting drugs, that’s quite concerning.” He mentioned this during an interview on Sunday.
Paul continued, suggesting that some within the Trump administration might be aiming to provoke Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, possibly setting the stage for regime change.
He also raised questions about Trump’s decision to reveal CIA operations in Venezuela, stating, “When you announce covert action, it loses its secrecy.” It strikes me as a bit unusual, to say the least. I’ve known the president for over a decade, and while I support him, that doesn’t mean I’ll agree with everything he does.”
This speculation regarding regime change comes amid a notable increase in U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, including the deployment of guided missile destroyers, nuclear submarines, and F-35 fighter jets.
