The U.S. military has executed another strike on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The U.S. Southern Command released a video showing the boat being hit by an explosion, with smoke and fire visible in the aftermath.

Continued Campaign Against Drug Trafficking

This operation is part of a broader campaign initiated by the Trump administration to combat drug cartels operating in Latin American waters, including the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. Since its inception in early September, the campaign has resulted in the deaths of at least 196 individuals. Despite the aggressive approach, the military has yet to provide evidence confirming the presence of drugs on the targeted vessels.

The day before this incident, another strike was carried out on a similar vessel, killing one person and leaving two survivors. The U.S. Southern Command reported that they promptly alerted the U.S. Coast Guard to initiate a Search and Rescue operation for the survivors.

Review and Scrutiny

The Pentagon’s inspector general has announced a review to determine whether the military adhered to its established targeting framework during these operations. This framework, known as the Joint Targeting Cycle, involves a six-phase process including intent, target development, analysis, decision, execution, and assessment. However, the review will not address the legality of these strikes, which have been criticized by some Democratic lawmakers and military legal experts.

The Trump administration maintains that these actions are part of a war against Latin American drug cartels, which are blamed for the widespread drug overdose crisis affecting many American communities.

Original reporting: WQAD (Quad Cities) — read the source article.