- The US military announced on Sunday that it destroyed two boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of five individuals and leaving one survivor.
- These attacks bring the total number of people killed in boat strikes by the US military to at least 168 since the Trump administration initiated its campaign against alleged 'narcoterrorists' in early September.
- US Southern Command stated it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known routes but did not provide evidence that the vessels were carrying drugs, with videos on X showing boats engulfed in explosions.
- President Donald Trump has characterised these actions as an 'armed conflict' with cartels in Latin America, justifying the attacks as necessary to curb drug flow into the United States and reduce fatal overdoses, though critics question their legality and effectiveness.
- The boat strikes in Latin America are ongoing even as the US military focuses on operations in the Middle East, with Trump also announcing a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz following unsuccessful ceasefire talks.
IN FULL
