U.S. Authorizes Lethal Strikes on Drug Traffickers

The U.S. has for the first time authorized lethal military strikes directed solely at suspected drug traffickers, a campaign that officials say has produced at least 37 deaths across operations in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has publicly promoted the strikes—posting video, calling crews “narco‑terrorists” and likening traffickers to Al Qaeda—while President Trump has defended the operations and indicated they could expand to land targets. The Pentagon says the struck vessels were identified by intelligence as carrying narcotics on known trafficking routes and officials report new regional staging permissions and other measures to sustain the campaign. Legal and oversight concerns have multiplied: former Defense Department lawyers warn the actions represent a major expansion of executive power and at least one senior SOUTHCOM official has reportedly expressed alarm. International bodies, including UN officials, and rights groups say the campaign may violate international law and critics note the U.S. has released limited public evidence to substantiate targeting claims.