US forces destroyed an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people on board.
Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere carried out the lethal strike Sunday under Commander General Francis L. Donovan, according to a statement from US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The vessel was operating along a known drug route when it was targeted.
“Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narco-trafficking. The operation killed two narco-terrorists,” SOUTHCOM announced on X.
General Donovan framed the strike as part of a broader mission against trafficking networks. “When I ordered the establishment of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, it was precisely for this purpose: to accelerate, synchronize, and execute lethal actions against these destabilizing narco-terrorist networks,” he said.
“We are committed to imposing total systemic friction on narco-terrorists — disrupting their operations, dismantling their leadership, and eliminating cartel terror across the region,” General Donovan added.
The strike marks the latest in a sustained campaign against suspected drug vessels. The Trump administration has carried out more than 60 military strikes against suspected drug ships in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific over nearly a year, leaving more than 210 people dead.
SOUTHCOM previously destroyed a suspected narco-boat in the Caribbean under Donovan’s command on June 21, which killed two people.
The administration’s high-seas attacks began in September 2025 when Trump announced a strike targeting a suspected drug boat from Venezuela that killed all 11 people on board. The president issued a stark warning at the time on Truth Social: “Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!”
The Sunday strike in the eastern Pacific follows that pattern of lethal force against vessels identified as part of drug trafficking operations. SOUTHCOM has not identified the two people killed by name or nationality.