US Strikes in Eastern Pacific

The American military has again attacked what it called a drug boat in the eastern Pacific, this time leaving three survivors, according to US Southern Command. In a video posted Thursday on X, the command reported carrying out a "lethal kinetic strike" on a low-profile vessel it said was operated by designated terrorist groups and moving along established smuggling routes. Officials did not say how many people were killed. After the strike, NBC News reports, Southern Command said it alerted the Coast Guard to launch search-and-rescue efforts for the survivors.

The strike is at least the second in the region this month and part of a broader campaign that has seen more than 45 attacks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September, with over 140 people reported killed. The Trump administration argues the attacks protect US national security by stopping drugs before they reach American shores; members of Congress and advocacy groups have questioned their legality. Testifying Thursday, Gen. Francis Donovan, who ordered the latest strike, told senators that while such attacks will remain a tool, "boat strikes aren't the answer" and said the military is shifting toward a broader "counter cartel" strategy. Southern Command has cited intelligence when announcing the boat strikes but hasn't detailed the information, per the New York Times.