The Pentagon confirms two maritime attacks that killed six suspected traffickers; no American personnel were injured.
Under direct orders from President Donald Trump, the U.S. military carried out two lethal strikes in the Pacific Ocean targeting vessels linked to narco-terrorist organizations, officials confirmed late Thursday night.
According to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the operations successfully neutralized six suspected traffickers without any American casualties. The strikes were conducted as part of “Operation Sovereign Shield,” an ongoing campaign to disrupt transnational drug routes feeding into the United States.
“These vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until the poisoning of the American people stops,” Hegseth said, emphasizing that the administration remains committed to eradicating drug-linked networks operating in maritime corridors.
Military officials said the targets were intercepted off the Pacific coast following intelligence reports that the boats were transporting narcotics for cartels with Venezuelan and Central American ties. The coordinated strikes reportedly involved Navy aircraft and unmanned systems, and the sites were later secured for evidence collection.
The latest attacks come amid an escalating series of operations launched in recent months, reflecting a broader crackdown on transnational criminal networks. Washington officials describe the strategy as both a counter-narcotics initiative and a message of deterrence to foreign actors enabling drug smuggling.
