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U.S. Hits Two Suspected Drug Boats in Eastern Pacific, Killing Six

The administration cites an "armed conflict" with cartels to justify the maritime killings, drawing U.N. scrutiny that strains allied cooperation.

In this file photo the U.S. Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, sails into the Oslofjord past Droebak and Oscarsborg fortress on its way for a port visit to Oslo, Norway, September 12, 2025.
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks during the swearing-in ceremony of Gen. William Rincon as the new national police director in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)
The world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford seen in the North Sea during NATO Neptune Strike 2025 exercise on September 24, 2025 in the North Sea. Sailors, soldiers, aviators, and marines from 13 Allied nations are participating in NATO's Neptune Strike 25-3 military exercises, taking place from September 22-26 in the Baltic Sea and North Sea and involving the US aircraft carrier Gerald Ford. (Photo by Jonathan KLEIN / AFP) (Photo by JONATHAN KLEIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Sunday strikes targeted two vessels in international waters in the eastern Pacific, with three people aboard each boat and no U.S. forces harmed.
  • The dual strikes bring the publicly acknowledged tally to roughly 18–19 attacks since September and about 75–76 deaths, as operations shift from the Caribbean toward the eastern Pacific.
  • Officials posted brief strike videos and said the boats carried narcotics, but the administration has not released corroborating evidence, prompting calls from lawmakers and families for proof.
  • The White House frames the campaign as counterterrorism against designated cartels within an "armed conflict"; after high‑level briefings, the Senate rejected a bid to curb Trump’s strike authority on Venezuela.
  • U.N. rights chief Volker Türk has urged investigations, saying there are strong indications of human‑rights violations, while the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group has entered the region and reports say the UK has curtailed some intelligence‑sharing over legal concerns.