On Friday, the United States confirmed that it had executed another strike against a vessel in the Pacific, claiming the action resulted in the deaths of three individuals accused of involvement in drug trafficking. This information was shared via the U.S. Southern Command's official account on social media, stating that soldiers "carried out a lethal attack against a vessel operated by designated terrorist organizations," a term used by Washington to describe drug trafficking groups. The statement specified that the three deceased men were labeled as 'narcoterrorists.'

This attack is part of a larger pattern of U.S. military operations targeting vessels in the Caribbean Sea, a campaign that began in September of the previous year. Since the commencement of these operations, there have been more than 40 attacks resulting in approximately 150 reported fatalities, illustrating a significant increase in U.S. military engagement against suspected drug trafficking organizations. In a recent operation on Tuesday, 17th, there were reports of 11 individuals killed due to bombings targeting three boats linked to these drug trafficking activities.

The assertion by the Trump administration of being at war against supposed narcoterrorists in Latin America has drawn criticism due to the lack of presented evidence supporting the operations. The continuation of these aggressive measures raises questions about the legality and efficacy of such military interventions, as well as their implications for U.S. relations with nations in the Latin American region, many of which are impacted by the consequences of U.S. drug policy and military tactics.