Fourth US drug boat strike in a week kills more 'narco-terrorists'
U.S. Military Conducts Series of Strikes Against Suspected Drug-Trafficking Vessels in Eastern Pacific
The U.S. military carried out four separate strikes against vessels allegedly involved in narco-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific last week, according to U.S. Southern Command, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people.
The most recent strike occurred Saturday, May 30, when Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted what SOUTHCOM described as a "lethal kinetic strike" on a vessel operated by "Designated Terrorist Organizations." According to a post on X, intelligence confirmed the vessel was traveling along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific when it was engaged. Three men were killed in the action. No U.S. military personnel were harmed.
The Saturday strike was directed by SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan.
Earlier in the week, SOUTHCOM reported three additional strikes. A Friday strike killed three men, while a Wednesday strike resulted in two deaths. A Tuesday strike killed one person, though two others survived. In that incident, SOUTHCOM said it notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors.
The individuals killed in the strikes were described by the military as "narco-terrorists." The term, which links drug trafficking to terrorism designations, has been a focal point of the Trump administration's broader policy toward Latin American criminal organizations. The administration recently labeled Brazil's largest drug gangs as "global terror" organizations.
U.S. Forces Strike Iranian Military Targets in Self-Defense Operations
In a separate series of actions over the weekend, U.S. Central Command conducted what it characterized as "self-defense strikes" against Iranian military infrastructure.
According to a CENTCOM press release, fighter aircraft targeted radar and command-and-control sites for drones in Goruk, Iran, and on Qeshm Island. The strikes were carried out on Saturday and Sunday in response to what CENTCOM described as aggressive Iranian actions, including the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone operating over international waters.
U.S. forces eliminated Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that the military said posed clear threats to ships transiting regional waters. No U.S. service members were harmed.
CENTCOM stated it would "continue to protect U.S. assets and interests in response to unwarranted Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire."
In a related incident, CENTCOM reported Monday that U.S. forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces stationed in Kuwait. The missiles were "immediately defeated," according to a post on X, and no American personnel were injured. CENTCOM said it "remains vigilant and will continue to protect our forces from Iranian aggression while supporting the ongoing ceasefire."