The US military intensified its campaign against drug trafficking, launching its ninth strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, killing three people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced. This followed a Tuesday night strike in the same region that claimed two lives, marking a shift from prior operations focused on the Caribbean Sea. The strikes, which began last month, have now resulted in at least 37 deaths.

These attacks expand the US military’s reach to the waters off South America, a key corridor for cocaine smuggling from top producers like Colombia and Peru. Hegseth compared the campaign to the post-9/11 war on terrorism, calling drug cartels “the ‘Al Qaeda’ of our hemisphere” and vowing “no refuge or forgiveness — only justice.” President Donald Trump justified the strikes, claiming legal authority under the same framework used for the war on terrorism, declaring drug cartels as unlawful combatants.

Trump hinted at future land-based operations, stating, “We will hit them very hard when they come in by land.” He defended the strikes as saving “25,000 lives” by curbing the flow of drugs like fentanyl, though most US overdose deaths stem from fentanyl smuggled overland from Mexico, not maritime routes. The eastern Pacific, particularly near Ecuador’s ports, is a major cocaine smuggling hub due to its maritime infrastructure.

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Videos posted by Hegseth showed boats carrying brown packages exploding in flames, with debris floating afterward. The US has built a significant naval presence off Venezuela’s coast, raising speculation about potential moves against President Nicolás Maduro, who faces US narcoterrorism charges. However, the administration has avoided prosecuting survivors, repatriating two from an earlier strike to Ecuador and Colombia, where one was released due to lack of evidence.

Congress remains divided. Republicans like Sen. John Kennedy support the strikes, citing Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s legal assurances. Democrats, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal, criticize the operations as reckless and unlawful, arguing for interdiction and interrogation over destruction. A recent Senate vote rejected a Democratic resolution to require congressional approval for further strikes, highlighting partisan tensions.

As the US escalates its maritime offensive, questions linger about its legal basis and long-term strategy in the fight against drug trafficking.

Also Read: Trump's Caribbean Crackdown: U.S. Forces Destroy Suspected Drug Vessel, Six Dead