WASHINGTON( The COW News Digital) The United States carried out a deadly strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing two people on board, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday. The incident marks Washington’s first confirmed maritime strike in the Pacific under its new anti-narcotics campaign.
Hegseth shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing the targeted boat engulfed in flames, declaring that “there were two narco-terrorists aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters. Both terrorists were killed, and no US forces were harmed.”
The latest strike brings the total number of such operations to at least eight, resulting in 34 reported deaths. The US government has defended the campaign as part of an “armed conflict” against Latin American drug cartels, which it now designates as terrorist organizations.
According to a Pentagon notice to Congress, President Donald Trump’s administration considers these cartels “non-state armed groups” and claims their actions amount to “an armed attack against the United States.” The statement further justified the operations as defensive measures under international law.
However, critics and human rights experts have questioned the legality of the summary killings, arguing that Washington has not provided verifiable evidence that all the targets were engaged in narcotics trafficking. “These actions could constitute extrajudicial executions,” warned one international law expert.
The US military campaign, which has involved stealth aircraft and naval vessels, has heightened regional tensions, particularly with Venezuela. Several of the targeted boats reportedly originated from Venezuelan ports, fueling suspicions that the operations may serve broader geopolitical objectives, including efforts to destabilize President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
In recent weeks, tensions have also risen between Washington and Colombia. President Trump accused Colombia’s leftist leader, Gustavo Petro, of being an “illegal drug dealer” and announced a halt to US aid. Petro, in turn, condemned the American strikes as “acts of murder.”
Despite the war of words, Colombian and US officials met days later to reaffirm cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts. Bogota’s foreign ministry said both sides remain committed to “improving strategies” to combat drug trafficking across the region.
As Washington expands its anti-cartel campaign into the Pacific, questions over legality, transparency, and potential civilian harm continue to shadow the US military’s growing role in global drug enforcement.
