The Pacific drug boat strike carried out by US forces has left three people dead, marking an escalation in Washington’s campaign against maritime drug trafficking. The operation, ordered by President Donald Trump, targeted a vessel allegedly linked to a “Designated Terrorist Organisation,” according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The latest attack came just hours after a similar strike in the region killed two others. No American personnel were harmed in either mission. Hegseth posted on social media that the “lethal kinetic strikes” would continue daily, describing the targets as “narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities.”
Footage released online appeared to show a small vessel engulfed in flames following the US strike, with debris later targeted by a second air attack.
Colombia Condemns the Pacific Drug Boat Strike
Colombia’s deputy foreign minister Mauricio Jaramillo condemned the action, calling it “disproportionate and outside international law.” He argued that the individuals on board “had no chance to defend themselves,” adding that there was “no process, no judicial order.” Jaramillo urged Washington to pursue cooperation rather than unilateral military action.
The Pacific drug boat strike is significant because previous US operations had mainly taken place in the Caribbean. This expansion suggests a wider reach for America’s anti-narcotics campaign, which has already left at least 37 people dead, including recent casualties from a semi-submersible vessel strike.
Trump Defends Strategy as Tensions Rise
Speaking from the White House, President Trump insisted the United States had full legal authority to continue operations in international waters, but hinted that any move to strike targets on land would require congressional approval. “We’re totally prepared,” Trump said, signaling a potential escalation of the campaign.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that most cocaine bound for US cities now moves through Pacific routes via Colombia, Ecuador, Central America, and Mexico. Experts warn that continued strikes risk straining Washington’s relations with Latin American allies already uneasy over sovereignty concerns.
As the Pacific drug boat strike intensifies, critics argue that the US risks blurring the line between counter-narcotics enforcement and extrajudicial military action — a controversy likely to shape regional diplomacy in the months ahead.
