U.S. Strikes Kill 14; Campaign Toll 57

The U.S. military carried out three strikes on four vessels in the eastern Pacific on Monday, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an X post that included video and said the boats were carrying narcotics and operated by designated “narco‑terrorist” groups. The attacks expand a campaign that began in the Caribbean in September and bring the known toll from U.S. strikes on suspected trafficking boats to at least 57 dead and 14 vessels destroyed. Mexican authorities are coordinating the rescue of the lone survivor. The Trump administration has framed the operations as an armed campaign against cartels, citing an executive order designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and presidential authorizations, but has released limited evidence and not sought prior congressional approval. The strikes have prompted bipartisan and international concern over legality and transparency, with critics — including Sen. Rand Paul — calling the actions extrajudicial and unconstitutional; the operations have accompanied a larger U.S. military buildup that has heightened regional tensions, while the administration says no U.S. forces were harmed and vows to continue targeting traffickers.