unlawful combatants
US Military Strikes Kill 8 in Eastern Pacific: Escalating Controversial Anti-Narcotics Campaign
Dec 17, 2025 02:46 am CST
The US military has conducted strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in eight fatalities. This marks the latest development in a controversial campaign that has destroyed at least 26 vessels and killed 95 people since September. The operations, directed by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, have drawn significant scrutiny from human rights advocates, Democratic lawmakers, and UN officials over potential international law violations and lack of evidence supporting the narco-trafficking allegations.
US Military Expands Anti-Drug Operations with Deadly Strike in Pacific Ocean
Oct 23, 2025 09:34 am CST
The US military has expanded its anti-drug trafficking campaign beyond the Caribbean to the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people in its eighth strike against alleged narco-vessels. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth compared the operations to the war on terrorism, as the Trump administration designates cartels as unlawful combatants while focusing on Colombian smuggling routes.