Another US boat strike in Caribbean Sea kills three, Pentagon says

The US military conducted a strike on a boat in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday, killing three people. US Southern Command stated the vessel was involved in drug trafficking along known routes. This attack brings the total death toll from such strikes under the Trump administration to at least 148 since early September. President Trump has justified these actions as necessary to combat drug cartels, claiming the US is in "armed conflict" with them. However, critics question the legality and effectiveness of these strikes, noting that fentanyl, a major contributor to overdoses, is primarily trafficked overland from Mexico. The strikes have also faced scrutiny due to a previous incident where the military killed survivors of an initial attack.

The US military reported that eleven people were killed in multiple strikes on three alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean. The strikes, conducted late Monday night, targeted vessels the US Southern Command said were traveling known drug routes. Since September, the Trump administration has carried out over 40 lethal strikes on alleged drug boats, resulting in over 130 deaths. The administration claims the strikes are lawful, asserting a formal armed conflict with drug cartels and designating boat crews as combatants. However, the US has not provided evidence of drug smuggling, and legal experts question the legality of targeting civilians without due process. Lawsuits have been filed by families of those killed, alleging unlawful killings.

US military officials reported that American forces launched strikes on three alleged drug-smuggling boats on Monday, resulting in 11 deaths. This action brings the total fatalities from US strikes to 145 since September, when the Trump administration authorized attacks on individuals deemed "narco-terrorists" on small vessels in known drug-trafficking routes, such as the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command claims intelligence confirmed the vessels were involved in narco-trafficking operations, but the evidence has been questioned. The strikes come amid increased US military activity in the region, including the deployment of warships and recent actions against Venezuelan officials on drug charges. Some legal experts and advocacy groups have raised concerns about the legality and due process of these strikes.

The US military conducted a strike on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific on Friday, resulting in three fatalities. This marks the second such strike this week, with the previous one killing 11 people. According to US Southern Command, intelligence confirmed the vessel was involved in narco-trafficking operations along known routes. These strikes are part of a Trump-era policy aimed at intercepting drug traffickers. However, the legality of these actions is being questioned by lawmakers and legal experts, who raise concerns about potential extrajudicial killings and abuse of power, citing both US and international law. The new head of US Southern Command took over after his predecessor reportedly retired over disagreements about the strike policy.

The US military's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) reported attacking a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday, resulting in the deaths of three people. SOUTHCOM claimed the vessel was involved in drug trafficking, but provided no evidence. This incident is the latest in a series of US military strikes on vessels in international waters, with at least 148 people killed in 43 attacks since September. These actions have drawn criticism from Latin American leaders, legal experts, and human rights workers, who question their legality and accuse the US of extrajudicial killings. A video released by SOUTHCOM shows the boat engulfed in flames after being struck by US fire.

In February 2026, the US military, under President Trump's Operation Southern Spear, conducted three strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, resulting in the deaths of 11 people. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) reported the strikes, stating the individuals killed were "narco-terrorists." Since September 2025, this campaign against drug boats has resulted in at least 145 deaths across 42 strikes, justified by the Trump administration as an effort to curb drug flow to the US. However, legal experts have criticized the campaign as extrajudicial killings, and the identities of those killed have not been officially released. Some victims have been identified by families as fishermen or workers, raising questions about the validity of the claims of drug trafficking.

On Friday, February 14, 2026, the US military reported killing three alleged drug traffickers in a strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea. US Southern Command stated that no US military personnel were harmed during the operation. This attack brings the total death toll to 133 from at least 38 US strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September. The Trump administration justifies these actions, claiming the US is in "armed conflict" with Latin American cartels and that the strikes are necessary to stop drug flow. However, the administration has provided limited evidence to support claims of killing "narcoterrorists," leading to debate about the legality of these operations.

The U.S. military conducted another strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people accused of drug trafficking. U.S. Southern Command stated the boat was traveling along known drug routes. This attack brings the total number of deaths from such strikes under the Trump administration to 133 since September. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed these strikes have caused some cartels to cease operations, but provided no supporting evidence. The Trump administration has justified these actions as necessary to combat drug flow, asserting the U.S. is in "armed conflict" with cartels, but has offered limited evidence to support claims of killing "narcoterrorists."

The US Southern Command carried out its second deadly boat strike this week, killing three suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean on Friday. This follows a similar strike in the eastern Pacific on Monday that resulted in two deaths. These actions are part of a larger campaign against "narco-terrorism" in Latin America and the Caribbean. According to Pentagon statements, these strikes have resulted in at least 133 deaths across 39 incidents. The legality of these strikes is under scrutiny, with some experts arguing they constitute extrajudicial killings without due process. The new head of the Southern Command, Gen Francis L Donovan, recently took over after reported disagreements over the boat-strike policy.

Since September 2025, the US military has conducted multiple attacks on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 133 deaths. The latest incident, on February 14, 2026, involved a US military strike on a boat in the Caribbean, killing three people. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) claimed the targets were "narco-terrorists" involved in drug trafficking, though it provided no evidence. Critics, including international law experts, have condemned these attacks as potential extrajudicial executions. The attacks have drawn scrutiny, especially one in September 2025 where a follow-up strike killed survivors clinging to wreckage.

The US military reported destroying a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, alleging it was involved in drug trafficking. US Southern Command stated the boat was traveling along known drug routes and engaged in narcotics operations, resulting in two fatalities. A video released by the command shows the boat exploding after being struck. The announcement followed a claim by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that recent strikes in the Caribbean had caused some cartel leaders to halt drug operations indefinitely. However, neither US Southern Command nor the Pentagon provided details or confirmation regarding Hegseth's assertion.

The US military reported killing two alleged drug traffickers in a strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific on Thursday. US Southern Command stated the vessel was traveling along known drug trafficking routes. This action is part of a broader campaign initiated by the Trump administration in September, targeting suspected smuggling boats, primarily in the Caribbean and Pacific. The administration claims it is combating "narco-terrorists," particularly those allegedly operating out of Venezuela. However, the legality of these operations is under debate due to a lack of definitive evidence linking the vessels to drug trafficking. A wrongful death lawsuit was recently filed against the US government by relatives of two Trinidadian men killed in a similar strike last year.

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.

In December 2025, the US military's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) reported conducting "lethal kinetic strikes" on two vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing five people. These actions, authorized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, bring the total death toll to at least 104 since September in a US military campaign targeting alleged seaborne drug traffickers. The US claims the victims were "male narco-terrorists," but has provided no proof of drug trafficking involvement for the destroyed vessels. The attacks have drawn criticism from Latin American leaders and legal experts who have labeled them "extrajudicial killings." President Trump has justified the actions as necessary to combat drug trafficking from Latin American cartels, particularly those based in Venezuela, and has threatened to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.

The US military conducted a lethal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing four individuals identified as "narco-terrorists," according to Pete Hegseth. The vessel was allegedly operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and engaged in drug trafficking along a known route. This strike follows President Trump's announcement of a blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, accusing Venezuela of funding drug trafficking. The Pentagon previously reported strikes on three boats in the Pacific, resulting in eight deaths, and over 20 strikes since September 2 have killed at least 99 people, mostly off the coast of Venezuela. While the administration claims the campaign aims to stop drugs from reaching the US, a Trump official suggested it is also intended to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.