October 1, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Sunday that it blew up two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of five people and leaving one survivor, as the government pursues its campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America
The attacks on Saturday bring the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 168 since the military began targeting alleged “narcoterrorists” in early September.
As with most of the military’s statements on the dozens of strikes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. Videos posted on X showed small boats moving across the water before they each were engulfed in a bright explosion.
U.S. Southern Command stated on X that it had notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the search-and-rescue system for the survivor. The Coast Guard confirmed it was coordinating the search and said updates would be provided when available.
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives.
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