U.S. military strike in Caribbean kills four suspected drug smugglers
Four people were killed when U.S. forces attacked a boat alleged to be used for drug smuggling in the Caribbean, bringing the total death toll from similar strikes to at least 231 since the campaign began a year ago.
U.S. Southern Command said a boat suspected of transporting drugs was struck in the Caribbean Sea on Saturday, resulting in four deaths. The operation is part of a broader U.S. effort that has conducted 69 strikes against vessels in the region since the policy was launched about a year ago, killing at least 231 people.
The command stated the target was located along known smuggling routes, though it did not release evidence confirming the vessel was carrying narcotics. A video posted on the social platform X showed a moving boat followed by a flash, which officials said depicted the strike.
Defense officials have indicated that the United States is seeking agreements with several Latin American nations to expand joint operations onto land. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow U.S. joint military actions, though Guatemala later denied such a deal. Ecuador has also partnered with the U.S. in maritime missions, including a recent operation to board and sink a vessel alleged to serve as a refueling station for drug traffickers.
President Trump has described the campaign as an "armed conflict" with cartels and argued that the strikes are needed to curb drug flows into the United States, though the administration has provided limited public evidence of the effectiveness of the operations.