US Military Conducts Largest Single-Day Strikes Killing 14 on Alleged Drug-Smuggling Vessels in Eastern Pacific

Under President Donald Trump's directive, the U.S. military has intensified its campaign against narcotics trafficking by conducting lethal strikes on drug-smuggling vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced three strikes on four boats, resulting in 14 deaths and one survivor, marking the largest single-day operation in this campaign since September, with a total of 13 strikes killing 57 people overall. These operations target vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations and are carried out in international waters without any U.S. casualties. Mexican authorities have been involved in coordinating search and rescue efforts for survivors, indicating some level of regional cooperation. Hegseth emphasized that these "narco-terrorists" have caused more American deaths than Al-Qaeda and are being pursued with equivalent military resolve. The campaign reflects a shift in U.S. defense priorities from protecting other nations to aggressively defending its own borders against drug trafficking threats.