U.S. Military Launches Strikes on Four Drug Vessels in Eastern Pacific
(MENAFN) On Monday, the U.S. military sank four ships allegedly carrying narcotics in the eastern Pacific, killing 14 and leaving one survivor, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday.
"The Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific," Hegseth said on social media.
He confirmed that the sole survivor was recovered through a search-and-rescue mission coordinated with Mexican authorities.
Since September 2, U.S. forces have sunk 14 vessels across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 57 fatalities.
On October 2, the White House notified U.S. Congress that the United States is engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels designated as terrorist groups, though it did not name the organizations.
The strikes have prompted strong criticism from congressional Democrats. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said the U.S. government "offered no credible legal justification, evidence or intelligence" for the strikes.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions as attempts to overthrow his government and expand U.S. military influence in Latin America. Earlier this month, Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the U.S. government of "murder" for killing drug suspects at sea.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has also ramped up its military presence across the Caribbean. Officials say the current deployment represents the largest U.S. military buildup in the region in more than 30 years.
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