"The United States military on Friday struck another boat it suspected of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific, killing two people, the US Southern Command said. The attack represents the first known strike by the administration since US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3. "Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," the US Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM, said."
"With this, the tally of known strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in South American waters stands at 36. Since early September 2025, the US military has killed at least 117 people in boat strikes. The last reported boat strikes occurred in late December, when the military said it struck five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing a total of eight people while others jumped overboard."
The United States military struck a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people and leaving one survivor. SOUTHCOM said intelligence showed the vessel was transiting known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in narco-trafficking operations. SOUTHCOM posted footage of a multi-engined boat exploding, showing three people aboard before the strike. SOUTHCOM said it immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to search for the survivor. With this strike the tally of known strikes in South American waters reached 36, and since September 2025 the U.S. military has killed at least 117 people in boat strikes. U.S. special forces captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife on January 3; both were flown to New York to face federal drug-trafficking charges.
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