Overview
- Since early September, U.S. forces have conducted at least 19 strikes on suspected drug‑smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, with about 76 reported deaths and six in the most recent Pacific attack.
- The Justice Department publicly stated the orders were lawful under the laws of armed conflict, and Reuters reported a classified Office of Legal Counsel opinion that provides legal cover for the operations.
- A Washington Post analysis mapped nine strikes in the eastern Pacific and ten in the Caribbean, including three off Acapulco, while several incidents remain without confirmed coordinates.
- U.N. human-rights chief Volker Türk said there are strong indications the killings may be extrajudicial and urged an independent investigation under international human-rights standards.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted in Canada that Washington has the right to operate militarily in its hemisphere, as European officials and regional governments voice concern over legality and escalation risks.