MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US attacks boat near Colombia, killing two

Some 66 people are believed to have been killed by US forces so far in 17 of these attacks

The US Department of War confirmed a new military strike on Tuesday against a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, near Colombia, resulting in the deaths of two individuals classified as suspected drug traffickers.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the attack on social media, emphasizing the administration’s hardline stance: “We will locate and destroy all vessels that intend to traffic drugs into the United States to poison our citizens.” Hegseth shared a video of the operation, which he stated was conducted in international waters.

This latest attack is part of an ongoing, escalated offensive by the Donald Trump administration against Latin American cartels, which the administration has declared a “direct armed conflict.”

The strike marks more than 15 lethal attacks since the US deployed Southern Command forces to the Caribbean and, more recently, to the Eastern Pacific near Colombia. The total number of fatalities in these maritime operations has now reached 66 suspected drug traffickers across 17 vessels reportedly sunk.

The Trump administration has justified the military actions by labeling the cartels as designated terrorist organizations. Secretary Hegseth affirmed the operation was part of the offensive against ships linked to these groups.

The US military action has drawn sharp condemnation from regional governments, particularly those of Venezuela and Colombia, and international human rights organizations. Various organizations, such as Amnesty International, have questioned the US actions, citing potential violations of international law.

The latest strike comes amid reports that the Pentagon is preparing for a possible expansion of the offensive. US media reported late last week that the Pentagon was preparing for potential attacks on land targets, following President Trump's assertion that maritime drug trafficking had been “controlled.” Reports also suggest that Trump plans to extend the offensive to include cartels operating in Mexican territory.