The U.S. military, under the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, has executed strikes against a convoy of vessels associated with designated terrorist organizations involved in narcotics trafficking. This operation was carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear, as reported by U.S. Southern Command. The vessels were intercepted while navigating known narcotics trafficking routes in international waters, following intelligence indicating drug transfers between the boats.

During the initial engagement, three individuals aboard the first vessel were killed. The remaining crew members on the other two vessels abandoned ship prior to subsequent strikes, which resulted in the sinking of both boats. U.S. Southern Command stated that the U.S. Coast Guard was notified immediately after the strikes to activate search and rescue operations for those who entered the water.

A report from The New York Times indicated that one of the targeted boats was carrying marijuana and that the incident occurred on November 6 in the Gulf of Venezuela, an area historically contested by Colombia and Venezuela. This marks the first tangible evidence of the U.S. campaign against drug trafficking in the region. Other vessels struck in similar operations are presumed to have sunk, along with their crews and cargo.

The attack resulted in the deaths of three individuals, with local authorities reporting that their bodies were discovered two days later by fishermen. The U.S. administration has executed a total of 30 strikes against suspected drug vessels since the beginning of this campaign, with the latest incident in the Eastern Pacific resulting in two additional fatalities, bringing the total death toll to at least 107. The administration has characterized its actions as part of an 'armed conflict' with drug cartels, designating those killed as 'unlawful combatants.' This classification is based on a classified Justice Department finding that purportedly allows for lethal actions without judicial oversight.

These operations have faced increasing scrutiny from legal experts and lawmakers, particularly following a September 2 strike that killed two survivors of an earlier attack. Critics argue that this second strike may constitute an extrajudicial killing under international law. Secretary Hegseth has declined to declassify and release footage of the strikes to the public, raising further questions about transparency and accountability in military operations targeting drug trafficking.