The US military says it struck two boats it alleges were carrying drugs on Wednesday, killing five people on board.
US Southern Command did not specify the location of the latest strikes, but US forces have been targeting vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics to the Caribbean and eastern Pacific over the past three months.
Wednesday's strike follows a previous operation a day earlier against what the US identified as three narco-trafficking vessels traveling together, resulting in a minimum of three fatalities.
The Trump administration has framed its military efforts as a non-international armed conflict against alleged traffickers, yet legal analysts argue these actions might violate established conflict laws.
Since the onset of this offensive against drug trafficking, there have been over 30 strikes, leading to more than 110 fatalities since the first attack on a vessel in international waters on September 2. This initial attack is under scrutiny, particularly for a subsequent strike on survivors clinging to the hull of the targeted boat.
In the aftermath of a convoy strike on December 30, US Southern Command acknowledged the presence of survivors but did not disclose numbers. Reports indicate that the US Coast Guard is conducting searches for eight identified survivors, although their current status remains unclear.
The US has yet to provide conclusive evidence validating that the targeted boats were engaged in drug trafficking, although Southern Command insists their routes align with known drug smuggling paths.
