The United States military has executed another strike on a vessel suspected of transporting illegal drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. This operation, part of a broader campaign initiated by the Trump administration, aims to combat the influence of Latin American drug cartels, which are blamed for contributing to the drug crisis affecting many American communities.

Ongoing Campaign Against Drug Trafficking

U.S. Southern Command released a video on social media depicting the vessel before it was engulfed in an explosion, with smoke and fire visible in the aftermath. This strike follows a similar operation conducted a day earlier, where one individual was killed, and two survivors were rescued after U.S. forces targeted another alleged drug vessel in the same region.

The campaign, which has been active since early September, has reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 196 individuals. Despite the significant number of operations, the military has yet to provide concrete evidence that these vessels were indeed carrying drugs.

Review and Scrutiny

The Pentagon’s inspector general’s office has announced a review to determine whether the military adhered to the established targeting framework during these operations. This framework includes a six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle, which encompasses the military commander’s intent, target development, analysis, decision, execution, and assessment. However, the review will not address the legality of the strikes, which have faced criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal scholars.

The Trump administration maintains that these actions are necessary to address the threat posed by drug cartels, which they argue are responsible for the widespread issue of drug overdoses in the United States.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.