US military strike kills 2 in Eastern Pacific

The United States military announced on Monday that it killed two people in a strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on Sunday, marking the first known operation under its ongoing campaign in more than two months. The strike, conducted by the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, targeted a low-profile boat operating along established narcotrafficking routes, according to a statement from U.S. Southern Command.

The operation was carried out under the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan. In a statement, Donovan said the strike was a clear reminder that the command is "taking the fight directly to the cartels." He emphasized the military's commitment to disrupting narcoterrorist networks and preventing deadly drugs from reaching American communities. "This operation is a powerful demonstration of our lethal precision, overwhelming capability, and absolute resolve to protect the U.S. homeland," Donovan stated.

The strike is part of Operation Southern Spear, a military campaign launched in early September 2025 under President Donald Trump's directive that the U.S. is effectively at war with Latin American drug cartels. Since...