Two people have been killed in a new US military strike targeting a vessel accused of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the US military announced on Monday.
The strike, disclosed by the United States Southern Command via social media, brings the total number of known attacks on suspected drug-smuggling boats to 30 since early September, with at least 107 people reported killed, according to figures released by the Trump administration.
US officials said the targeted vessel was involved in narcotics trafficking, although no evidence was provided to support the claim. Footage shared online showed a small boat moving across open waters before being hit by two explosions.
President Donald Trump has defended the strikes as a necessary escalation to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the U, arguing that Washington is engaged in what he describes as an armed conflict with international drug cartels.
Alongside the maritime strikes, the Trump administration has increased US military deployments in the region as part of a broader pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro. Maduro has been accused by US authorities of involvement in narcotics-related terrorism, allegations his government has repeatedly denied.
Asked by reporters on Monday about reports of an explosion in Venezuela, Trump said the US had struck a coastal dock facility where boats suspected of transporting drugs were being loaded.
The campaign of boat strikes has drawn growing scrutiny from US lawmakers, particularly following reports that the first attack in early September included a follow-up strike that killed two survivors who had been clinging to wreckage after the initial blast.
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