Video: U.S. Military Kills 3 In Fresh Strike On Drug-Smuggling Vessel In Eastern Pacific

The United States military carried out another strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on April 15, killing three people it accused of involvement in drug trafficking, officials said.

The strike, announced on Wednesday by US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), targeted a boat said to be operating along known narco-trafficking routes.

The military described the action as a “lethal kinetic strike” against a vessel allegedly linked to unnamed “Designated Terrorist Organizations”.

SOUTHCOM stated that intelligence had identified the vessel as being engaged in drug trafficking activities. It added that three men, described as “male narco-terrorists”, were killed in the operation. No US personnel were harmed.

The command also released video footage showing an air strike hitting the vessel, which subsequently caught fire.

On April 15, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/EaGDMHmpan

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) April 16, 2026

The strike is part of a campaign targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters. In the past few days alone, the US has reported several similar operations.

A strike on Tuesday killed four people, while another on Monday left two dead. Over the weekend, two separate vessels were targeted, resulting in five deaths and one survivor. The US Coast Guard has since suspended its search for that survivor.

Since the campaign began in September, at least 178 people have been killed and 53 vessels targeted in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean regions.

US President Donald Trump has defended the campaign, stating that the United States is engaged in what he describes as an “armed conflict” with Latin American drug cartels. ]

The administration has argued that the maritime strikes are necessary to disrupt the flow of narcotics into the United States.

However, the operations have drawn criticism from legal experts and human rights organisations, who have raised concerns about the legality of targeting vessels in this manner.

Groups such as Human Rights Watch have described the strikes as “unlawful extrajudicial killings”, while the American Civil Liberties Union has questioned the evidence behind claims that those targeted are linked to drug trafficking networks.

Critics argue that even if vessels are involved in illegal activities, those on board should be arrested and prosecuted rather than killed.

Legal experts have also pointed out that drug trafficking does not constitute an armed conflict under international law.

Human rights advocates have further warned that some of the targeted vessels could be civilian fishing boats, raising concerns about potential misidentification at sea.

Analysts note that much of the fentanyl reaching the United States is trafficked over land routes from Mexico, rather than by sea.

The synthetic drug is typically produced using precursor chemicals sourced from countries such as China and India, further complicating efforts to curb its supply through maritime operations alone.

Despite the criticism, the US military continues to carry out strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the region.

References: Reuters, Al Jazeera