4 killed as US strikes drug boat in Caribbean amid Trump's crackdown on narcotics
The latest attack brings the number of people killed in US military boat strikes to at least 231 across 69 strikes since the administration began targeting groups it describes as "narcoterrorists" nearly a year ago.
The US military struck a boat in the Caribbean Sea on Saturday, killing four people, as the Trump administration continued its months-long campaign against drug traffickers in Latin America.
The latest attack brings the number of people killed in US military boat strikes to at least 231 across 69 strikes since the administration began targeting groups it describes as “narcoterrorists” nearly a year ago. Washington has said the campaign is aimed at stopping the flow of drugs into the United States.
In a statement, US Southern Command said the vessel was targeted while operating along established drug-trafficking routes in the Caribbean Sea. The command has issued similar announcements about strikes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, describing the targets as alleged drug traffickers.
However, the military did not provide evidence that the vessel was carrying drugs. A video posted on X showed what appeared to be a moving boat, followed by a flash.
The Trump administration is also seeking to expand the campaign beyond the sea through agreements with allied countries in Latin America. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a visit to Panama last month that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow the US to conduct joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil.
Guatemala, however, denied that such an agreement had been reached. Ecuador launched similar missions with the US in March.
President Donald Trump has said the US is in an “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has defended the strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and prevent fatal overdoses.
The administration has, however, provided limited public evidence to support its claims that those killed in the strikes were drug smugglers. The latest attack adds to the growing toll of the US campaign at sea, while Washington continues to seek ways to expand operations with partner countries in the region.