US forces have struck a vessel alleged to be carrying drugs in the Pacific Ocean, the Pentagon has announced. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that two individuals aboard the vessel were killed, with no US forces harmed during the operation.
The targeted vessel was already known to US intelligence and was navigating along a recognized trafficking route in international waters. According to Hegseth, this marks the first airstrike in the Pacific as part of a series of counter-narcotics operations launched since September 2.
Video footage of the strike showed a long, blue speedboat before it was hit by US ordinance. Hegseth stated, Narco-terrorists intending to bring poison to our shores will find no safe harbor anywhere in our hemisphere, and emphasized the administration's commitment to confront drug cartels as vehemently as they would foreign terrorist organizations.
Since the summer, US military operations in the Caribbean and Pacific have led to at least 36 reported deaths of individuals involved in drug trafficking. Recent reports indicate rising tensions between the Trump administration and the Colombian government, with President Trump labeling the Colombian president as an illegal drug leader while criticizing Colombia's drug production.
US analysts warn that vast amounts of cocaine destined for US markets transit through the Pacific, a shift from previous trends that mostly occurred via Caribbean routes. Approximately 10,000 US troops, along with numerous military assets, have been deployed for these operations, reflecting the administration’s urgent focus on countering the drug crisis from its source.
This aggressive military posture aims not only to disrupt drug trafficking routes but also to signal a hardline stance in international drug policy amidst increasing cooperation and accountability from drug-producing nations in the region.
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