WASHINGTON (AP) — In a significant move in their ongoing anti-drug efforts, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a military strike targeting a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which he asserted was involved in drug trafficking activities. The operation resulted in the deaths of all four individuals aboard the vessel. Hegseth stated via a social media post that intelligence had indicated the boat was moving along a known narco-trafficking route and was loaded with narcotics. The strike was conducted in international waters, with no reported injuries to U.S. personnel.

A dramatic video shared by Hegseth reveals the moment the vessel was struck, erupting into flames. This latest strike is part of a nearly two-month-long initiative by the Trump administration aimed at enhancing U.S. military presence in South American waters. Such actions have sparked speculation about potential efforts to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been accused of narcoterrorism by U.S. officials.

Despite the high-profile nature of the operations, the Trump administration has faced criticism for not providing concrete evidence to substantiated claims regarding the struck vessels, their links to drug cartels, or the identities of the deceased individuals involved in the strikes that commenced in early September.