The United States military says it carried out strikes on two boats suspected of drug trafficking on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of five people on board. The US Southern Command did not disclose the exact location of the operation.
According to the US military, the action is part of a broader campaign targeting vessels believed to be smuggling narcotics across maritime routes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific. These operations have been ongoing for roughly three months.
The latest strike followed another operation a day earlier, during which US forces targeted what they described as a convoy of three boats allegedly involved in drug trafficking. That earlier action reportedly left at least three people dead.
The Trump administration has framed these operations as part of a non-international armed conflict against drug traffickers. However, several legal experts have raised concerns, arguing that such strikes may violate international rules governing the use of force and the conduct of armed conflict.
Since the start of this intensified campaign, the US military has conducted more than 30 strikes on vessels at sea. Official figures indicate that over 110 people have been killed since the first attack, which took place in international waters on 2 September.
That initial operation has drawn particular criticism from lawmakers in Washington. Reports revealed that the targeted boat was struck twice. After the first strike, two survivors were seen clinging to the vessel’s hull before a second strike killed them. Some members of Congress have questioned whether this so-called “double-tap” breached established rules of engagement.
In a statement on the 30 December strike against the three-boat convoy, US Southern Command acknowledged that there were survivors, without giving a precise number. The military said those who survived abandoned the remaining vessels and jumped into the water before follow-up strikes sank the boats. The US Coast Guard was reportedly alerted immediately to conduct search-and-rescue operations.
According to Reuters, a US official speaking anonymously said that searches were underway for eight survivors. It remains unclear whether any have been located.
The US military has not publicly released evidence showing that the targeted boats were transporting drugs. Nevertheless, Southern Command maintains that intelligence assessments confirmed the vessels were operating along known trafficking routes and were involved in narcotics smuggling.
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