US military kills two people in latest attack on vessel in the Pacific

Al JazeeraEN 2 min read 100% complete by Brian OsgoodFebruary 6, 2026 at 04:30 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

In February 2026, the US military reported killing two individuals in an attack on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) claimed the victims were "narco-terrorists," but provided no supporting evidence. This incident is part of a series of at least 36 US strikes on vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean since September 2025, resulting in at least 128 deaths. The US government defends these actions by linking drug trafficking to terrorism, but international legal scholars and rights groups widely condemn the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings, citing the absence of an armed conflict justifying the use of military force on the high seas. The UN special rapporteur has stated there is no legal basis for using military force to kill suspected drug traffickers.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Latin America 40% Caribbean 40% UN 50% Airwars 50% Trump administration 50% Ben Saul 60% US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) ×270% Pacific Ocean ×270% US Military ×280% United States ×790%

Keywords

us military 90% vessel attack 80% pacific ocean 70% narco-terrorists 70% international law 60% drug trafficking 60% us southern command 50% extrajudicial killings 50% armed conflict 40%