The U.S. military confirmed it killed four men in a strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific, the latest action in a campaign that has killed at least 87 people.
🇺🇸 The US military on Thursday carried out another strike on a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean – its first in nearly three weeks – as congressional concern deepens over the legality and conduct of Trump’s aggressive anti-drug campaign at sea 👉 https://t.co/ssdnSJPXa7 pic.twitter.com/VADYQd4T1R
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) December 5, 2025
U.S. Southern Command said intelligence linked the vessel to narcotics smuggling along a known trafficking route.
Video released by the military showed the small boat engulfed in flames after the strike, carried out under the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and… pic.twitter.com/pqksvxM3HP
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 4, 2025
The operation comes as the Trump administration faces bipartisan criticism for a September 2 strike in which survivors of an initial blast were killed in a second attack.
Lawmakers who viewed classified footage called it deeply troubling, and several questioned whether the actions violated the laws of war.
Four killed after the US strikes another boat in the Eastern Pacific amid questions about its counter-drug offensive. https://t.co/B5Ke1pQA9W
— CNN (@CNN) December 5, 2025
Admiral Frank Bradley told Congress there was no order from Hegseth to kill survivors.
Democrats are demanding full video and written records, while the administration maintains the strikes are part of lawful counter-narcotics operations.
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