U.S. Strike Kills Two on Suspected Drug Vessel in Pacific

The U.S. military conducted a lethal strike on Monday against a vessel suspected of drug smuggling in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two men aboard, according to U.S. Southern Command. The operation, carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear, targeted a boat traveling along known drug trafficking routes, officials said. Intelligence indicated the vessel was involved in narcotrafficking activities, though no public evidence was released to support the assessment.

Video footage released by the military on social media showed the boat moving through the water before it was hit by two explosions, producing plumes of smoke. No U.S. personnel were injured in the action, which was authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The strike marks the 30th such operation since early September, bringing the total number of fatalities in the campaign to at least 107, based on figures provided by the Defense Department.

The attacks form part of a broader U.S. effort to disrupt drug flows into the country, which President Donald Trump has described as an armed conflict with drug cartels. Trump administration officials have linked the operations to pressure on...