The U.S. military said Friday that it carried out another strike on a vessel accused of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people.
U.S. Southern Command said in a social media post that the boat “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.”
A video released alongside the statement showed a vessel speeding across open water before being struck and erupting in flames.
The command did not release the identities of those killed or specify the nationality of the vessel.
Friday’s operation adds to a growing tally of maritime strikes conducted under President Donald Trump’s expanded anti-cartel campaign.
Since early September, the administration has carried out at least 38 similar attacks in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in 133 reported deaths, according to data cited in the Associated Press report.
The White House has framed the strikes as part of a broader strategy to combat narcotics trafficking and cartel violence.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that “some top cartel drug-traffickers” have halted operations indefinitely due to what he described as “highly effective” kinetic strikes in the Caribbean.
Hegseth did not provide specific evidence to substantiate that claim.
President Trump has previously stated that the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, describing them as “narcoterrorists.”
The administration argues that aggressive maritime enforcement is necessary to stem the flow of illicit drugs into the U.S., per the New York Post.
Critics, however, have questioned the legal framework for such operations and whether sufficient evidence has been provided to confirm the targets were actively engaged in trafficking at the time of the strikes.
Southern Command did not elaborate on the intelligence used to justify Friday’s action, beyond stating the vessel was operating along known smuggling routes.
The strike highlights the administration’s willingness to escalate force beyond traditional interdiction tactics, moving toward lethal engagement.
Historically, U.S. anti-drug missions in the region have focused on interception and seizure rather than the destruction of vessels.
The continued use of kinetic strikes signals a shift in strategy.
Officials have not indicated whether additional strikes are imminent, but prior statements from the Defense Department suggest operations will continue.
As the number of incidents rises, the policy is likely to face increased scrutiny from lawmakers and international observers.
For now, the administration maintains that the operations are lawful and aimed at dismantling transnational criminal networks.
Friday’s strike underscores how the anti-cartel campaign has evolved into a sustained military effort in waters long associated with narcotics trafficking routes.
