UK suspends some intel sharing with US over boat strike concerns as France says US military operations in Caribbean violate international law
The decision by London marks a significant break from its closest ally and intelligence sharing partner in Washington and highlights the question of US strikes against the suspected drug traffickers in Latin America.
November 12, 2025 05:00 AM IST
First published on: Nov 12, 2025 at 05:00 AM IST
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The strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday were carried out in the Pacific Ocean, a departure from US forces' earlier seven strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean. (Photo: X/ @SecWar)
The United Kingdom has reportedly stopped sharing some intelligence inputs with the United States regarding suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean as it doesn’t want to be complicit with America in its military strikes against the suspected drug boats and believes that the strikes are illegal, CNN reported quoting sources familiar with the matter.
The decision by London marks a significant break from its closest ally and intelligence sharing partner in Washington and highlights the question of US strikes against the suspected drug traffickers in Latin America, whether the strikes are legal or not.
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The UK has been sharing intelligence inputs to US for years related to vessels suspected of carrying drugs and it has helped America locate those vessels and US Coast Guards used to stop and board the ship, its crew detained and drugs used to be seized. The UK controls a sizable number of territories in the Caribbean where it bases intelligence assets.
Ever since the US started to strike suspected drug carrying boats from September onwards, the UK became skeptical that its intelligence inputs would be utilised by America to shortlist targets. The US military has carried out at least 19 strikes so far against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coasts of Latin America and killed 76 people and some British officials believe the strikes by the US military violate international law.
France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot also echoed a similar sentiment and said that the French government is concerned about US military operations in the Caribbean because they violate international law.
On the sidelines of the Group Seven foreign ministers’ summit in Canada, Barrot said, “We have observed with concern the military operations in the Caribbean region, because they violate international law and because France has a presence in this region through its overseas territories, where more than a million of our compatriots reside,” Reuters reported.
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The strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday were carried out in the Pacific Ocean, a departure from US forces' earlier seven strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean. (Photo: X/ @SecWar) 
