The US military has confirmed it carried out operations against three boats suspected of drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the fatalities of eight individuals.
The US Southern Command shared footage of the strikes on social media, asserting that the vessels were operating along known narcotics trafficking routes.
In recent months, over 20 maritime operations have occurred in the Pacific and Caribbean, leading to at least 90 fatalities, as part of an intensified campaign by the Trump administration against cartel activities.
Concerns have been raised regarding the legality of these strikes, particularly regarding an incident on September 2, where survivors of a first attack were killed in a subsequent strike. Legal experts have noted that this could classify as extrajudicial killings under international law.
The US government maintains that such operations are necessary to combat the cartel threat and has characterized the illicit drug trafficking as a public health crisis affecting American lives.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is slated to brief Congress on these operations, as discussions continueon the legal ramifications and strategic considerations of the campaign against narcotics trafficking originating from Venezuela.
The Trump administration has intensified its military presence near Venezuela, accusing its government of facilitating drug traffic into the US, further escalating tensions in the region.
