U.S. military says two killed in strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat in eastern Pacific
The U.S. military said it killed two people and left a third survivor in its latest strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific, expanding a campaign Washington has framed as a fight against “narco-terrorists” operating out of Venezuela.
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“Two narco-terrorists were killed and one survived the strike,” U.S. Southern Command said in a statement posted on X. It added that the U.S. Coast Guard was notified to “activate the search and rescue system for the survivor.”
The operation is part of a months-long effort the Trump administration launched in early September targeting alleged smuggling boats at sea. With Sunday’s announcement, at least 130 people have been killed in 38 such strikes, according to figures released by U.S. officials.
The latest action marks the third reported U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat in the region since the January capture by U.S. special forces of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Maduro had argued before his detention that the U.S. campaign of strikes was aimed at pushing regime change in the South American country. He is incarcerated in the United States, where he has pleaded not guilty to drug and weapons charges.
Southern Command did not provide additional details about the vessel, the identities or nationalities of those aboard, or the precise location in the eastern Pacific. The Coast Guard’s search-and-rescue activation suggests maritime recovery efforts were underway for the reported survivor.
The U.S. has framed the maritime operations as a deterrent against transnational criminal networks it says move drugs and weapons through the Caribbean and Pacific corridors with Venezuelan support. Officials have repeatedly used the term “narco-terrorists” to describe those targeted, while emphasizing that the missions are intended to disrupt trafficking routes and interdict shipments far from U.S. shores.
The campaign has also drawn legal and diplomatic scrutiny. Last month, relatives of two Trinidadian men killed in a strike sued the U.S. government for wrongful death stemming from an Oct. 14 operation, alleging excessive force and a failure to take reasonable steps to verify the targets. The case underscores growing questions around rules of engagement, transparency, and accountability when lethal force is used against suspected smugglers at sea.
Details about the rules guiding the maritime strikes have not been publicly disclosed, including how U.S. forces determine hostile intent or imminent threat on non-military vessels and what standards govern post-strike investigations. Human rights advocates and regional officials have asked Washington to release more information about how targets are identified and what measures are taken to prevent civilian casualties.
For now, U.S. commanders have pointed to the scope of the campaign and the number of interdictions as evidence of its effectiveness. The reported casualty count—at least 130 people in 38 strikes—suggests both the intensity of the operations and the significant risks for those aboard suspected smuggling craft on the high seas.
Southern Command said the Coast Guard was alerted in the latest case to coordinate rescue efforts, but it did not say whether any remains had been recovered or if authorities had secured the vessel. The Pentagon and Coast Guard did not immediately comment on whether independent verification of the strike or the survivor’s condition was available.
As the maritime campaign continues, the legal outcome of the wrongful death suit and the prosecution of Maduro are likely to shape how the United States balances aggressive interdiction with demands for transparency and due process—both at sea and in court.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
