US strikes another alleged drug boat in Pacific, killing two - VIDEO
The U.S. Southern Command said the US military carried out another strike against an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, killing two people.
“On Feb. 5, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” SOUTHCOM wrote on X, News.Az reports.
The command added that no US military personnel were injured during the operation.
On Feb. 5, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking… pic.twitter.com/B3ctyN1lke
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) February 6, 2026
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Donovan formally assumed command of SOUTHCOM on Thursday and is now responsible for overseeing US military operations and engagements throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to SOUTHCOM, the latest incident brings the reported death toll from strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats to at least 119 people. The operations are part of a broader campaign known as Operation Southern Spear, which the Trump administration says is intended to curb narcotics trafficking. Thursday’s strike marked the second known attack of the year, following a January operation that killed two people and left one survivor.
The administration has publicly provided little evidence to support claims that those killed in the campaign were affiliated with drug cartels or that every targeted vessel was carrying narcotics. During congressional briefings, military officials have acknowledged under questioning from lawmakers that they do not know the identities of everyone on board the boats that have been destroyed.
The legality of the strikes has drawn increasing scrutiny in Congress since the operations began in September. Lawmakers have shown particular interest in the first known attack, during which the military carried out a follow-up strike that killed two survivors of an initial strike.
Despite the concerns, the Trump administration has told Congress that the U.S. considers itself to be in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.
By Nijat Babayev
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