Overview
- U.S. Southern Command said Joint Task Force Southern Spear destroyed a suspected drug‑running vessel in international waters in the eastern Pacific at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, killing four men.
- Officials said intelligence indicated the boat was carrying illicit narcotics along a known trafficking route, and released short video of the explosion and aftermath.
- The campaign now stands at about 22 acknowledged strikes and roughly 86–87 deaths since early September, according to military statements reported by multiple outlets.
- In closed briefings, Adm. Frank Bradley told lawmakers he was not given a “kill them all” order for the Sept. 2 operation, as members viewed extended footage of the follow-up strikes on survivors.
- Lawmakers and legal experts remain divided over the legality of the operations, with calls for unedited video, written orders, and formal legal opinions as some argue protections for shipwrecked or incapacitated persons may have been violated.