Journalism of Courage
The United States carried out new strikes on boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing six people, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Monday.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the attacks on two vessels took place on Sunday, marking the latest in a series of US strikes against alleged narcotics traffickers.
“These vessels were known by our intelligence to be associated with illicit narcotics smuggling, were carrying narcotics, and were transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route,” Hegseth wrote on social media.
In a video posted by Hegseth, one of the boats can be seen floating before exploding, followed by another clip showing a different vessel moving through the water with packages on board before it bursts into flames.
The strikes are part of a campaign launched by US President Donald Trump in early September against drug trafficking operations in South American waters. The AP report said at least 19 strikes have been confirmed so far, leaving about 75 people dead.
The Trump administration has not provided evidence for its claims about the targets. Lawmakers from both parties have asked for more information about who is being hit and under what legal authority the operations are being carried out.
Last week, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with members of Congress who oversee national security to explain the legal and strategic basis for the strikes. While Democratic lawmakers said the explanation was incomplete, Senate Republicans later rejected a proposal to limit Trump’s authority to launch attacks on Venezuela without congressional approval.
Earlier strikes took place mainly in the Caribbean Sea but have now moved toward the eastern Pacific, where much of the cocaine from South America is transported.
The United States has also increased its military presence in the region, including deploying an aircraft carrier.
President Trump has said the United States is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels and has described the targeted boats as being operated by “foreign terror organizations” that send drugs into American cities.
The operations have led to speculation about wider US efforts to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces narcoterrorism charges in the United States.
Maduro has accused Washington of “fabricating” a war against him, AP reported.
