The U.S. military has carried out another strike on a vessel accused of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing three men and bringing the reported death toll from a series of similar operations to more than 200.
According to the U.S. Southern Command, the attack took place on Saturday and targeted a boat allegedly involved in narcotics smuggling operations linked to a designated terrorist organization. Military officials did not provide evidence supporting the claim.
The strike marks the fourth such operation announced within a single week and is part of a broader campaign launched in September targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels operating in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Video footage released by the military on social media showed a small vessel at sea before it was struck and consumed by a large explosion.
The latest attack increases the cumulative death toll from the campaign to 205 people. Previous strikes were reported earlier in the week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
The administration of President Donald Trump has argued that the United States is engaged in an armed conflict with Latin American drug cartels, blaming the organizations for the continued flow of illegal drugs into American communities.
In a statement posted on X, U.S. Southern Command said the operation was conducted under the direction of Francis L. Donovan, the senior U.S. military commander responsible for operations in Latin America.
The expanding campaign has drawn attention as the number of fatalities continues to rise, with critics questioning the evidence presented to justify the strikes and the broader legal implications of the military operations.
