ALWAGHT- Eight killed as US military targets three suspected drug-smuggling vessels in eastern Pacific operation ordered by Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The United States Southern Command announced that it carried out lethal strikes on three vessels in international waters in the eastern Pacific on December 15, killing eight people. According to SOUTHCOM, the operation was ordered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and targeted vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking and operated by designated terrorist organizations. All those killed were adult males, with three fatalities reported on the first vessel, two on the second, and three on the third.
The strikes are part of a broader military campaign launched under President Donald Trump aimed at disrupting what the administration describes as drug-smuggling routes in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. US officials claim more than 20 vessels have been struck so far, with at least 90 suspected drug smugglers killed, marking a sharp escalation from previous strategies that focused on interdiction and prosecution rather than direct military force. The campaign has drawn criticism over its effectiveness, particularly given questions about alleged trafficking routes and the deployment of significant US naval assets, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the region.
The operation has sparked significant legal and international controversy. While the Pentagon maintains the strikes comply with US and international law, critics argue that the use of force outside a declared armed conflict violates the UN Charter and lacks a clear legal basis. Legal experts have also raised concerns about past operations, including an incident in which survivors of a strike were reportedly targeted, warning that attacking individuals who are no longer posing a threat could constitute a war crime under international humanitarian law.
