A sequence of military operations by the United States in the eastern Pacific Ocean resulted in the deaths of 14 individuals, with only one survivor, according to U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday. Hegseth asserted that the individuals aboard the boats were involved in drug trafficking. Mexican authorities assumed control of the search-and-rescue mission for the lone survivor following the three strikes on Monday. The vessels were identified by U.S. intelligence as traveling along established drug trafficking routes and carrying narcotics, stated Hegseth without offering any proof.
Hegseth shared a brief video showing two boats near each other before exploding and another boat exploding as it moved in the water. Following a series of strikes in the Caribbean starting on September 2, the U.S. government recently disclosed that the military operations had expanded to Pacific waters.
The legality of the strikes, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 57 individuals, has been questioned by experts. There is no evidence of alternative efforts to intercept the shipments, and typically, the U.S. Coast Guard is involved in drug interdiction operations.
The recent strikes in the Pacific occurred alongside an increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and approximately 6,500 troops. Last week, supersonic heavy bombers were flown by the U.S. military near Venezuela’s coast, fueling speculation about potential actions against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Critics have raised concerns about the lack of transparency and detail from the administration regarding the strikes. Republican Senator James Lankford admitted his discontent in a recent interview, highlighting the Senate’s rejection of a war powers resolution requiring congressional authorization for further military actions. The United Nations experts have condemned the strikes as “extrajudicial killings,” emphasizing the violation of international law and sovereignty.
Countries like Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, as well as citizens of Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago, have criticized the boat strikes. The strikes have sparked international concern and debate over their legality and implications for regional peace and security.