The United States military carried out two airstrikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean targeting boats suspected of being involved in drug trafficking. According to officials, five people were killed in the attacks — two in the first strike and three in the second. The operations were part of Washington’s ongoing efforts to disrupt large-scale drug smuggling networks believed to be transporting narcotics from South America toward North America.
These strikes mark a new phase in U.S. counter-narcotics efforts, as most previous actions had taken place in the Caribbean Sea. Military sources said the targeted boats were tracked using intelligence reports that indicated they were carrying illegal substances. The U.S. government has not yet disclosed the nationalities of the individuals killed or provided details about the substances found on the vessels.
The incident has raised concerns among international observers and human rights organizations about the use of lethal force in international waters. Critics argue that such actions require greater transparency and legal justification. Meanwhile, U.S. officials have defended the strikes, saying they were conducted under national security authority and were aimed at protecting global maritime trade routes from criminal activity.
