The United States military conducted another operation targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels on Sunday in the Eastern Pacific, killing six individuals, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
In two separate strikes, the military hit vessels “operated by designated terrorist organizations,” Hegseth wrote on X, without specifying which groups the crews were linked to.
“These vessels were known by our intelligence to be associated with illicit narcotics smuggling, were carrying narcotics, and were transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route in the Eastern Pacific,” he added.
This latest action brings the total to 76 fatalities across 19 strikes, which have destroyed 20 boats as part of Washington’s campaign aimed at limiting drug flows into the United States.
Three survivors have been reported from these strikes: two were briefly detained by the US Navy before being returned to their home countries, while the third is presumed dead following a search by the Mexican Navy.
Administration officials have told Congress in multiple briefings, including one last week, that the identities of those on board are not always known prior to the attacks. Intelligence linking the vessels to specific cartels or criminal organizations guides the strikes, CNN has reported.
Since the first strike on September 2, the Trump administration has described the US as being in an “armed conflict” against drug cartels, labeling those killed as “unlawful combatants” and asserting the authority to conduct lethal operations without judicial review, citing a classified Justice Department finding.
However, some lawmakers and human rights organizations have questioned this approach, arguing that suspected traffickers should face prosecution, consistent with US interdiction policies prior to President Donald Trump’s tenure.
The administration has also yet to publicly provide evidence showing the presence of narcotics on the targeted vessels or proof of their ties to cartels.
Military officials have confirmed that no US service members were injured in these operations.
