U.S. military continues lethal strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Pacific

Since September 2025, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has conducted a series of lethal kinetic strikes against speedboats in the Pacific and Caribbean, labeling them as vessels operated by terrorist organizations involved in drug trafficking. The most recent operations between April 11 and April 14, 2026, resulted in several fatalities, bringing the total death toll to at least 177 since the campaign began. U.S. officials, including General Francis L. Donovan, justify these actions as part of a war against cartels and have released declassified footage of the strikes. However, the Trump administration has not provided public evidence confirming that the targeted vessels were engaged in illegal activities. UN officials and independent legal experts have criticized the legitimacy of these strikes in international or foreign territorial waters, describing them as extrajudicial killings. Discrepancies exist in reports regarding the exact number of casualties in specific daily incidents, with military statements sometimes citing varying figures for the same time periods.