US forces have struck a second vessel alleged to be carrying drugs in the Pacific Ocean, amid an escalating US campaign against seaborne drug smuggling. Three people were killed and no US forces were harmed in the strike on Wednesday, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said. It came hours after the US struck another boat in the Pacific, killing two people.
Colombia's government has denounced the US for carrying out strikes on vessels close to its coast, saying the American action was 'like applying the death penalty in a territory that is not yours.' Wednesday's strikes were the first in Pacific waters, as most previous attacks were in the Caribbean.
'These strikes will continue, day after day. These are not simply drug runners - these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities,' Hegseth posted on X. The post was accompanied by a video that appears to show a boat catching fire after being struck by a US bomb.
Floating items are then seen in the water, before they appear to be targeted by a second air strike. The Colombian deputy foreign minister, Mauricio Jaramillo, stated that the strikes were 'disproportionate and outside international law.'
He indicated that those aboard had 'no possibility to defend themselves,' and added that there was 'no process, no judicial order,' urging the US to instead cooperate with Colombia in the fight against drug trafficking.
US President Donald Trump has asserted that he has the legal authority to continue bombing boats in international waters, but mentioned he might consult Congress if he decides to extend targets to include those on land. He described his administration as being 'totally prepared' to expand anti-drug operations onto land, which would mark a significant escalation.
The expansion of these strikes into the Pacific Ocean is significant. It is a far greater drug trafficking sea route than the Caribbean, making this strike appear more consistent with the US justification. However, it is widely believed that these strikes are not merely about drug trafficking but also aimed at exerting military pressure on the government of President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, a longtime adversary of Trump.
To date, at least 37 people have been killed in US strikes on alleged drug boats, including a recent strike on a semi-submersible vessel in the Caribbean. Two men survived that strike last week, with one being repatriated to Colombia and another, reportedly from Colombia, remaining hospitalized.
The US estimates, as provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), indicate that the vast majority of cocaine bound for US cities passes through the Pacific, highlighting the increasing relevance of these military operations.
Colombia's government has denounced the US for carrying out strikes on vessels close to its coast, saying the American action was 'like applying the death penalty in a territory that is not yours.' Wednesday's strikes were the first in Pacific waters, as most previous attacks were in the Caribbean.
'These strikes will continue, day after day. These are not simply drug runners - these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities,' Hegseth posted on X. The post was accompanied by a video that appears to show a boat catching fire after being struck by a US bomb.
Floating items are then seen in the water, before they appear to be targeted by a second air strike. The Colombian deputy foreign minister, Mauricio Jaramillo, stated that the strikes were 'disproportionate and outside international law.'
He indicated that those aboard had 'no possibility to defend themselves,' and added that there was 'no process, no judicial order,' urging the US to instead cooperate with Colombia in the fight against drug trafficking.
US President Donald Trump has asserted that he has the legal authority to continue bombing boats in international waters, but mentioned he might consult Congress if he decides to extend targets to include those on land. He described his administration as being 'totally prepared' to expand anti-drug operations onto land, which would mark a significant escalation.
The expansion of these strikes into the Pacific Ocean is significant. It is a far greater drug trafficking sea route than the Caribbean, making this strike appear more consistent with the US justification. However, it is widely believed that these strikes are not merely about drug trafficking but also aimed at exerting military pressure on the government of President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, a longtime adversary of Trump.
To date, at least 37 people have been killed in US strikes on alleged drug boats, including a recent strike on a semi-submersible vessel in the Caribbean. Two men survived that strike last week, with one being repatriated to Colombia and another, reportedly from Colombia, remaining hospitalized.
The US estimates, as provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), indicate that the vast majority of cocaine bound for US cities passes through the Pacific, highlighting the increasing relevance of these military operations.
