The U.S. military reported on Wednesday that it targeted five suspected drug-smuggling boats within two days, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals while others leaped overboard and potentially survived. The specific locations of the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday were not disclosed by U.S. Southern Command, which is responsible for operations in South America. Past incidents have occurred in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Footage released by Southern Command on social media depicted the Tuesday attack, showing three boats moving closely together, an uncommon sight. The military stated that these boats were part of a convoy operating along established narco-trafficking pathways and had engaged in transferring narcotics between them before the strikes. However, no supporting evidence was provided by the military to corroborate this assertion.
During the initial boat strike, three individuals were killed, while occupants on the other two vessels abandoned ship and distanced themselves before being targeted. Southern Command promptly alerted the U.S. Coast Guard to initiate search and rescue operations, without confirming the fate of those who jumped off the boats.
The involvement of the Coast Guard is noteworthy, as it follows intense scrutiny faced by the U.S. military for a prior incident in early September where survivors of an attack were killed by a subsequent strike on their disabled boat. This action sparked debate, with some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts condemning it as a crime, while the Trump administration and certain Republican lawmakers defended its legality.
In a separate statement, Southern Command announced that U.S. forces had engaged two additional boats on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of five individuals allegedly involved in drug smuggling along recognized trafficking routes. The statement did not offer proof of the alleged criminal activity or disclose the location of the attacks. Videos shared on social media along with the statement depicted a boat on water and explosions.
These recent incidents bring the total count of boat strikes conducted by the U.S. military to 35, resulting in at least 115 fatalities since early September, as per figures released by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has justified these actions as necessary measures to curb drug influx into the U.S., asserting that the country is engaged in an “armed conflict” against drug cartels.
Concurrently, the Trump administration has increased military presence in the region as part of heightened pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces accusations of narco-terrorism in the U.S. Additionally, a recent drone strike at a suspected dock area used by Venezuelan drug cartels was reportedly orchestrated by the CIA, marking the first direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the commencement of strikes in September and intensifying the administration’s campaign against Maduro’s government.