The United States military reported on Sunday that it destroyed two vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean suspected of being involved in drug trafficking, resulting in five fatalities and one survivor.
The operation comes as the Trump administration intensifies its campaign against alleged traffickers across Latin America while also laying groundwork for a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.
Saturday’s strikes have pushed the total number of deaths from U.S. military boat attacks to at least 168 since the administration began pursuing individuals it describes as “narcoterrorists” in early September.
According to U.S. Southern Command, the vessels were intercepted along routes commonly associated with drug smuggling in both the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea.
However, officials did not present evidence confirming that the boats were transporting narcotics. Footage shared on X captured small vessels traveling across open water moments before being consumed by large explosions.
US Southern Command stated on X that it notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the search-and-rescue system for the survivor. The Coast Guard confirmed it was coordinating the search and said updates would be provided when available.
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”
Opponents of the strategy have raised concerns over both the legality and effectiveness of the strikes. They note that much of the fentanyl responsible for overdose deaths in the U.S. is typically smuggled over land through Mexico, where it is manufactured using precursor chemicals sourced from China and India.
The maritime strikes have persisted in Latin America even as U.S. military attention has been directed toward the Middle East, where forces were recently engaged in conflict with Iran.
On Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. Navy would initiate a blockade targeting vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of ceasefire discussions between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan.
The administration aims to reduce Iran’s strategic leverage by restricting access to the vital passage, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply is transported. U.S. Central Command indicated that the planned blockade would extend to Iranian ports.
