US military says strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat kills two

US Southern Command says that Sunday’s strike targeted a vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific.The United States military said it struck a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Pacific Ocean, killing two people.In a Monday post on X, US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said Sunday’s strike targeted a vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Ukraine’s allies convene in Kyiv as Zelenskyy seeks air defence boostlist 2 of 3The right to health in Gaza is now a privilegelist 3 of 3‘Barrel bomb mufti’ Ahmad Hassoun handed life sentence in Syria trialend of list“Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narco-trafficking,” SOUTHCOM added.“This operation is a clear and decisive reminder that SOUTHCOM is taking the fight directly to the cartels.”Grainy, black-and-white video accompanying the post appeared to show a boat moving through the water immediately before a large explosion.The post stated that under the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan, the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal kinetic strike on the low-profile vessel.“We are committed to imposing total systemic friction on narco-terrorists — disrupting their operations, dismantling their leadership and eliminating cartel terror across the region,” Donovan was quoted as saying.“Let me be clear, we will not permit narco-terrorists to operate with impunity in the Western Hemisphere, nor will we allow their deadly poison to reach American communities. This operation is a powerful demonstration of our lethal precision, overwhelming capability, and absolute resolve to protect the U.S. homeland.”The US military launched Operation Southern Spear in early September, with President Donald Trump arguing that Washington is effectively at war with Latin American drug cartels.