US strikes another alleged drug cartel vessel, expanding attacks to Pacific

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. military has carried out another airstrike on an alleged drug cartel vessel on Tuesday night, according to two U.S. officials, this time in the Pacific Ocean.

It is the eighth known U.S. strike against an alleged drug boat since early September.

There were no survivors of Tuesday night’s strike and it is believed that two to three people aboard were killed, according to the officials.

Tuesday night’s strike occurred in the waters west of Central America, according to one of the officials. The other seven airstrikes targeted alleged drug cartel vessels in the Caribbean Sea.

It is now believed that at least 34 individuals have been killed in these strikes carried out by the U.S. military. 

CBS News was first to report this latest airstrike.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released video of strike on social media on Wednesday. Hegseth confirmed the strike killed two people and took place in the Eastern Pacific. He wrote that no U.S. forces were harmed in the strike.

“Narco-terrorists intending to bring poison to our shores, will find no safe harbor anywhere in our hemisphere. Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people. There will be no refuge or forgiveness — only justice,” Hegseth posted on X.

The use of lethal military force is unprecedented and has raised legal questions. Past administrations relied on law enforcement to interdict drug shipments.The Trump administration’s defended the strikes as part of what they said is a “war” against cartels.

“They have faster boats. Some of these boats are seriously — I mean, they’re world-class speedboats — but they’re not faster than missiles,” Trump said last week.

Two people survived a U.S. strike earlier this month on a semi-submersible vessel in the Caribbean. Trump said that the survivors were being sent back to their home countries.

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