Eastern Pacific

The Eastern Pacific is a region of the Pacific Ocean where the US military has been conducting strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking. These operations, overseen by US Southern Command, have resulted in a significant number of deaths, with at least 157 people killed in such strikes since the campaign began. The actions are newsworthy due to the high death toll, allegations of extrajudicial killings, and concerns about potential war crimes, including the alleged disguising of military aircraft as civilian planes during operations. Recently, there have been multiple strikes on alleged drug boats in the Eastern Pacific, resulting in further casualties. The US military maintains that intelligence confirms the vessels were engaged in narco-trafficking along known routes. The Eastern Pacific's relevance stems from its use as a transit route for drug smuggling and the controversial US military response.