The U.S. military has reported another deadly strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean Sea, killing two people on Monday.
This latest incident adds to a campaign initiated by the Trump administration in early September, which has now resulted in at least 188 fatalities across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Despite ongoing global events, these strikes have intensified in recent weeks, underscoring the administration’s unwavering commitment to what it terms “narcoterrorism” in the Western Hemisphere.
However, the military has yet to provide evidence confirming that any of the targeted vessels were actually carrying illicit drugs.
The attacks commenced as the U.S. established its most significant military presence in the region in generations, months before the January raid that led to the capture of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
He was subsequently brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Regarding Monday’s strike, U.S. Southern Command reiterated previous statements, asserting it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes.
The command also posted a video on X, showing a boat moving across the water before a large explosion engulfed the vessel in flames.
President Donald Trump has described the U.S. involvement as an “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America, justifying the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and combat fatal overdoses.
Yet, his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.” Critics, meanwhile, continue to question the overall legality of these boat strikes.
