Deadly — Strike

The U.S. military has conducted dozens of lethal kinetic strikes against vessels in international waters as part of an escalating campaign against drug trafficking.

More than 183 suspected "narco-terrorists" have been killed in similar operations since the campaign launched in September 2025. Deadly Strike

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) carried out a strike in the eastern Pacific against a boat accused of ferrying narcotics, resulting in the deaths of three individuals identified as "narco-terrorists". Deadly Strike

These strikes have faced scrutiny from legal experts and some members of Congress who question whether using lethal military force against civilian vessels in international waters—rather than law enforcement boarding and seizure—violates international maritime law. Conflict in the Middle East and Africa Deadly Strike