US military kills 3 in strike on alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific

The US military said Saturday that it targeted an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing three people in a strike against “narco-terrorists.”

“On May 30, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) wrote on US social media platform X.

SOUTHCOM claimed intelligence confirmed the vessel was operating along known drug-trafficking routes. The post included black-and-white footage appearing to show a strike on a moving motorboat, followed by an explosion.

The US military has carried out dozens of similar operations in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean in recent months, according to statements. The operations have reportedly killed more than 200 people, though some experts have questioned the legality of the actions.