US Conducts Eighth Strike on Alleged Pacific Drug Trafficking Vessel

The U.S. military, under President Trump's direction, conducted its eighth lethal strike against a vessel suspected of drug trafficking, this time targeting a boat in international waters off Colombia in the eastern Pacific. The attack resulted in the death of two individuals identified as "narco-terrorists," with no U.S. forces harmed. This strike marks a geographical expansion of the campaign, which had previously focused on the Caribbean region. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized the vessel was known to be involved in narcotics smuggling along a recognized transit route and accused drug cartels of waging war on the U.S. border. The Trump administration has escalated military actions in the region, including deploying troops and heavy bombers near Venezuela, amid heightened tensions with the Maduro regime. This ongoing campaign is part of a broader effort to combat drug cartels allegedly supported by Latin American governments.