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The US military has intensified strikes against alleged drug traffickers in Latin America, claiming at least 181 deaths since September.
Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. (Photo: US Southern Command/X)The United States Armed Forces said it carried out another strike in the Caribbean Sea on a boat allegedly involved in drug trafficking, killing three people on Sunday.
US Southern Command, which is responsible for Washington's forces in the region, said it conducted a “lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.”
"Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action," it said in a post on X.
The campaign, led under the Donald Trump administration, has involved repeated attacks on suspected drug-running vessels in Latin American waters since early September, resulting in at least 181 deaths so far. Similar operations have also been conducted in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The strikes have continued despite rising global tensions, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran, and have recently intensified again. However, the military has not provided any evidence confirming that the targeted boats were actually carrying illegal drugs.
The operations reportedly began after the United States expanded its military presence in the region on a scale not seen in decades. This escalation came months before a major January raid that resulted in the capture of then–Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was taken to New York and charged with drug trafficking but has pleaded not guilty.
In the latest attack on Sunday, US Southern Command repeated previous statements by saying it had targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. It posted a video on X showing a boat moving along the water before a massive explosion engulfed the vessel in flames.
Trump has said the US is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”
US military officials have claimed at least six such strikes in April, bringing the total toll of people killed in these operations to at least 180, according to an AFP tally.
Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes, AP reported.
(With inputs from agencies)
About the Author
Mausam Jha
Mausam Jha is a journalist who focuses on world affairs and politics. She provides clear, informative reporting with a good understanding of both global events and their local impact. <br><br> Her clear, accessible reporting on political and international issues makes her a trusted source of news and analysis. <br><br> For the past three years, Mausam has worked with Mint, covering national politics, IR—including elections—and global affairs.<br> Before joining her current role, she gained experience working with The Statesman, ANI, and Financial Express, where she honed her skills in political and international news. <br><br> She has consistently tracked key electoral battles, including US elections, Japan elections, policy debates, and strategic affairs, explaining how global currents, from great power competition to regional conflicts <br><br> Beyond journalism, Mausam has a deep engagement with international relations, diplomacy, war studies, terrorism, political history, and political theory. She is particularly interested in the intersection of statecraft and society on how governance, ideology, and institutions shape lived realities, and how politics shape today's world order. <br><br> An avid reader of classical literature and political thought, she constantly explores the connections between historical ideas and contemporary policy challenges.
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