The United States military said it carried out a strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two alleged drug traffickers, while the US Coast Guard continued searching for a third person who survived the attack. The incident took place on Friday and was confirmed by US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

In a post on social media platform X, SOUTHCOM said intelligence had identified the vessel as operating along known narco-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and alleged that it was actively involved in drug-smuggling operations. The post included video footage showing a multi-engined boat being hit by an explosion, with three individuals visible onboard before the strike.

According to SOUTHCOM, two people were killed in the operation, while one individual survived. The command said it “immediately” notified the US Coast Guard after the strike so that search and rescue efforts could begin for the surviving person. The Coast Guard has not yet released further details on the outcome of the search.

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The strike comes amid a broader shift in US policy under President Donald Trump’s administration, which began targeting suspected smuggling vessels in early September. The administration has described the effort as part of a broader campaign against alleged “narco-terrorists”, particularly those it says are operating out of Venezuela.

However, the operations have sparked controversy. Critics note that the US government has not publicly released definitive evidence proving that the targeted vessels were engaged in drug trafficking. International law experts and human rights groups have raised concerns that such strikes may amount to extrajudicial killings, arguing that the boats appear to be civilian in nature and do not pose an immediate threat to the United States.

The latest strike was the first of its kind since late last year and follows a dramatic US operation in early January, when American forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a rapid raid in Caracas, bringing them to the United States to face trial. On the same day as the strike, the US also announced that its top military officer, General Dan Caine, will host defence leaders from 34 countries in Washington on February 11 to strengthen regional cooperation against criminal and terrorist organisations.

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