U.S. military strike kills four on suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Caribbean
The U.S. Southern Command said a strike on a boat it identified as a drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea killed four people, adding to more than 200 deaths from similar operations since the policy began.
The U.S. Southern Command reported that on Saturday a military strike targeted a boat it said was being used to transport illicit drugs in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in four fatalities. The command said the vessel was operating along a known smuggling route, but did not release evidence of drug cargo.
The incident brings the total number of people killed in U.S. military boat strikes to at least 231 across 69 operations since the administration launched the program targeting what it calls "narcoterrorists" nearly a year ago. A video posted on the social media platform X showed a moving boat followed by a flash, which the military cited as visual confirmation of the strike.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the United States is seeking agreements with several Latin American nations to expand joint operations against criminal groups onto land. He noted that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had reportedly consented to such cooperation, though Guatemalan officials denied any deal. Ecuador began similar joint missions with the United States in March.