US Military Destroys Another Alleged Narcotics Ship in Pacific, Killing Four Amid Controversial Drug Campaign

The U.S. military, under the Trump administration, has intensified its campaign against drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, recently destroying another boat and killing four people aboard. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the targeted vessel was identified through intelligence as carrying narcotics and traveling known trafficking routes, marking the 14th or 15th strike in this ongoing operation that has resulted in at least 61 deaths. This campaign is part of a broader military buildup in the region, including warships, Marines, and aircraft, with speculation that the U.S. aims to counter drug cartels and possibly pressure the Venezuelan government. The administration has framed the conflict with drug cartels as an "armed conflict," citing executive authority similar to that used in the post-9/11 war on terror, though these strikes occur without congressional approval or formal war declarations. Critics, including human rights groups, legal experts, and some lawmakers, have sharply criticized the strikes as extrajudicial killings, questioning their legality and the evidence for the vessels' illicit activities. Venezuela and Colombia have condemned the actions, viewing them as a military escalation in the region, while the Trump administration has defended the measures as necessary for national security.