A US military strike killed three people when it hit an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean on Nov. 2, 2025. Officials said the vessel was struck in international waters and that those aboard were tied to a group the US has designated as a terrorist organization. The Defence Secretary released video that appears to show a small boat burning and then exploding after the strike.
The US military strike is the latest in a series of actions the administration began in early September, aimed at disrupting maritime routes used to move narcotics toward the United States. The Pentagon has described the operations as necessary to stop what it calls “narco-terrorists” and said the strikes target boats known to be carrying illegal drugs. Critics say the US military strike campaign has offered little public evidence to support those claims.
Regional leaders and rights groups have condemned the operations and questioned their legality. The United Nations human rights office said the attacks risk violating international law and called for independent investigations. Human rights officials noted that lethal force at sea is normally restricted and said law enforcement measures, like intercepting and detaining suspects, should be used wherever possible instead of a US military strike.
Lawmakers in Washington have also raised concerns. Some members of Congress from both parties have asked for full briefings and documentation showing why commanders believed a US military strike was lawful and necessary. Government statements have referenced classified legal opinions that justify strikes on named organizations and networks, but those opinions and their supporting evidence have not been released publicly.
The strikes have increased tensions with several Latin American governments. Leaders in Colombia and Venezuela have criticized the operations, accusing the US of overreach and, in some cases, of political motives. The US has imposed sanctions and public pressure on some regional leaders for what it sees as weak action against drug trafficking. Opponents of the strikes argue these military steps could inflame regional disputes and harm diplomatic cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts.
Pentagon officials say the recent US military strike and others like it are aimed at protecting American communities from the flow of illegal drugs. They say the vessels targeted were traveling known trafficking routes and carrying narcotics. But independent confirmation of drugs seized or of the identities of those killed is limited in public accounts, and requests for more evidence have increased alongside calls for transparent investigations.
As the controversy grows, international human rights bodies and some US lawmakers insist that any use of lethal force at sea must meet strict legal standards. They urge the US to provide details about each strike and to pursue accountability if errors or violations occurred. US officials are saying operations will continue as part of a broader effort to stop shipments of illegal drugs to the United States.
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