U.S. military strike kills three aboard alleged drug boat in Eastern Pacific
A U.S. military strike killed three people aboard an alleged drug trafficking vessel in international waters of the Eastern Pacific on Saturday, the 21st such attack since September.
November 16, 2025 - 06:04 PM ET • 1 min read
The U.S. military conducted an attack on an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on Saturday, killing three people aboard, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced Sunday.
The strike, carried out by the Southern Spear joint taskforce (Operation Lanza del Sur), targeted a vessel in international waters that authorities said was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling. SOUTHCOM stated that intelligence confirmed the boat was carrying narcotics and transiting along a known drug-trafficking route.
The three individuals killed were described by SOUTHCOM in a statement as alleged drug traffickers or "narcoterrorists." One source indicated the attack was ordered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and targeted a vessel operated by a "Designated Terrorist Organization."
The operation marks the 21st known attack on drug boats conducted by the U.S. military since early September, part of a campaign aimed at disrupting the flow of narcotics into the United States.
According to Pentagon figures and counts based on publicly announced figures, the total death toll from these strikes has now reached 83 people since the campaign began.