U.S. military says it killed four in strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean

The U.S. military conducted a strike on Saturday, targeting a vessel allegedly involved in drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, according to reports. This marked the 232nd person killed by U.S. military strikes in 69 such operations since the Trump administration escalated its "war on drugs" in Latin America nearly a year ago.

U.S. Southern Command claimed the attack was conducted along known narcotics trafficking routes, though no proof was provided that the boat was carrying drugs. A video posted on X showed a moving boat followed by a flash. The Trump administration is negotiating agreements with allied nations to expand its military operations into multiple Latin American countries.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced last month that Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras had consented to U.S. joint military actions against criminal organizations on their territory, though Guatemala denied this claim. Ecuador has also engaged in similar joint missions with the U.S. since March. President Trump has declared the U.S. to be in "armed conflict" with Latin American cartels, asserting that the attacks are crucial to curb drug trafficking and drug-related fatalities in the United States. However, the administration has provided scant evidence to substantiate these claims.