The U.S. military has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking with its eighth strike targeting an alleged drug-carrying vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in two fatalities, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday. This marks a significant expansion of the Trump administration’s campaign against South American drug cartels, shifting focus from the Caribbean to Colombia, a major cocaine producer. Hegseth emphasized the administration’s resolve, drawing parallels between the war on drug cartels and the post-9/11 war on terrorism. “Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” he stated, vowing no refuge or forgiveness for the cartels. The strike brings the total death toll from these operations to at least 34 since last month. The Trump administration has justified these actions by classifying drug cartels as unlawful combatants, invoking the same legal authority used in the war on terrorism. Despite the aggressive measures, the administration has refrained from prosecuting occupants of the targeted vessels, instead repatriating survivors to their home countries. The U.S. military has also bolstered its presence in the Caribbean and off Venezuela’s coast, fueling speculation about potential moves against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces narcoterrorism charges in the U.S. While fentanyl from Mexico remains the primary driver of U.S. overdose deaths, Colombia’s cocaine, smuggled largely through the eastern Pacific, remains a critical focus of the administration’s efforts.
US strikes eighth alleged drug-carrying boat, this time in the Pacific Ocean
