MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US hits second boat in the Pacific

Hegseth likened these boats' crewmembers to Al Qaeda terrorists

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the US Southern Command carried out a second “lethal kinetic strike” in the Pacific Ocean in less than 24 hours. Hegseth stated that these attacks will “continue, day after day,” and controversially dubbed the three crew members, all of whom perished in the attack, the “Al Qaeda” of “our hemisphere” who “will not escape justice.”

The Secretary confirmed the strike was authorized by President Donald Trump against a vessel identified by intelligence for its alleged “involvement in the smuggling of illicit goods.” Another two crewmembers died in a separate attack on the Pacific on Tuesday in international waters off Colombia, War Department sources confirmed.

It was the ninth known US attack on alleged “narco-vessels” since the Pentagon began an anti-drug operation, primarily in the South Caribbean near Venezuela's coasts, leading to at least 37 deaths.

#ALERTA Secretario de Guerra de Estados Unidos anuncia que se ha hundido una segunda narcolancha en el Pacífico con un saldo de tres terroristas fallecidos. pic.twitter.com/y7R93v5nBl

— Tarotista José Iglesias (@Ji_Predicciones) October 23, 2025

Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday ordered a cut to all economic aid and subsidies to Colombia, labeling President Gustavo Petro as “a thug.”

“He is a bad guy who produces a lot of drugs,” argued the Republican leader, who also suggested his administration was considering attacks on land targets, claiming drugs are now arriving via land routes. He stated he would inform Congress if such operations were carried out.

Additionally, the Dominican Republic granted permission to the US military to use its airports for staging operations in support of counternarcotics flights, it was reported.