Experts say US boat strikes are illegal killings. Can they be stopped?

Al JazeeraEN 5 min read 100% complete by Brian OsgoodDecember 5, 2025 at 10:44 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

Since early September 2025, the US military, under President Trump, has conducted at least 22 strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats off the Latin American coast, resulting in at least 86 deaths. Legal experts and international officials, including a UN special rapporteur, are calling these strikes illegal extrajudicial killings, violating international law. Despite the criticism, the strikes continue, highlighting a potential trend of impunity for powerful nations. While Congress could pass legislation, military members could refuse orders, or foreign leaders could limit cooperation, meaningful restraints on the Trump administration have been limited. The US Senate has twice defeated legislation that would have required congressional support for the bombing campaign.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Pete Hegseth 40% Ben Saul ×260% United States ×570% Donald Trump ×480%

Keywords

illegal killings 90% us boat strikes 80% drug trafficking 70% international law 70% military strikes 60% extrajudicial killing 60% use of force 50% trump administration 50% united states 40%