U.S. strikes alleged drug boat in Caribbean, killing three

The U.S. Southern Command said it struck a vessel allegedly transporting drugs in the Caribbean on Friday, killing three people.

“Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” Southern Command said in a post on X, adding that “intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.”

“Three narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the post said.

The U.S. has not provided evidence supporting its allegations about the boat, passengers, cargo or the number of people killed.

This latest strike comes after the U.S. on Monday struck a vessel also alleged to be transporting drugs in the eastern Pacific, killing two people and leaving one survivor.

The U.S. resumed boat strikes in late January after largely backing off on attacking boats in the region following the U.S. military’s Jan. 3 capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

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Maduro is being held in a New York jail on charges that include narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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The Trump administration has adamantly defended the strikes as necessary to stop illegal drugs from entering the U.S. Since the strikes began in September, at least 37 strikes have killed 120 people, excluding Friday’s strike, according to the Department of Defense.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro met with President Donald Trump last week after repeatedly denouncing the strikes and comparing them to war crimes.