Watch: US Carries Out Another Lethal Strike On Suspected Drug Boat In Pacific, Killing 2

The U.S. military carried out another strike on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, killing two men, according to U.S. Southern Command.

The military said the operation was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear under the direction of SOUTHCOM commander General Francis L. Donovan.

Southern Command said intelligence showed the vessel was travelling along known drug-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was involved in narcotics operations.

A video released by Southern Command on social media showed the boat floating on the water moments before an explosion struck the vessel. Smoke and flames could later be seen rising from the boat.

Southern Command said the two men killed were “narco-terrorists”. No U.S. military personnel were injured during the operation.

The strike came a day after another U.S. operation against a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific.

On May 27, 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 narco-trafficking… pic.twitter.com/qKvSjxpk3P

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) May 28, 2026

In that incident, one man was killed while two survivors were rescued after Southern Command alerted the U.S. Coast Guard to begin search-and-rescue operations.

The Trump administration has expanded military operations against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters since early September.

According to reports, at least 196 people have been killed in strikes carried out in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea.

The U.S. military has not publicly released evidence showing the targeted vessels were carrying drugs.

Last week, the Pentagon inspector general said it would review whether the military followed proper targeting procedures during the operations.

The review will examine the use of the U.S. military’s six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle, which includes target identification, analysis, decision-making, execution and assessment.

The inspector general’s office said the review was “self-initiated” and would not examine the legality of the strikes.

The operations have faced criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal experts, who questioned how the vessels are identified before being targeted.