Archive · 25 Aug 2026
US Resumes Pacific Boat Strikes, Killing Two Sailors
The United States attacked a boat in the eastern Pacific after waiting two months.
Two people on the boat were killed.
The military said the boat was carrying drugs and that the people aboard were dangerous criminals.
It did not release their names or evidence proving those claims.
The attacks are part of a campaign called Operation Southern Spear.
A tracker says at least 223 sailors have died in 67 such attacks since September 2025.
The United Nations says killing people at sea is allowed only when they pose an immediate danger to someone's life.
Critics say drug crimes should normally be handled by police and courts, not military strikes.
They also say some earlier attacks may have broken international and US law.
The US military resumed strikes on boats after a two-month pause, killing two sailors in the eastern Pacific.
Southern Command said the boat was involved in narcotics trafficking and that those aboard were narco-terrorists.
Officials did not identify the dead, name any alleged terrorist organization, or provide evidence of drug-smuggling activity.
A New York Times tracker cited in the report says at least 223 sailors have been killed in 67 strikes since September 2025.
The United Nations and critics say the strikes may violate international law, US law, and rules governing the use of lethal force.
- Who
- The US military, acting under President Donald Trump, killed two sailors aboard a targeted boat; Southern Command announced the strike.
- What
- The military resumed its campaign of boat strikes after a two-month pause.
- When
- The latest strike occurred after the two-month pause; the broader campaign has operated since September 2025.
- Where
- The strike took place in the eastern Pacific, in international waters.
- Why
- Southern Command said the boat was involved in narcotics trafficking and that those aboard were narco-terrorists, while critics say the campaign is unlawful and lacks publicly provided evidence.
US Military and Administration
Critics and United Nations
Nature of the boat and passengers
US Military and Administration
Southern Command said the boat was involved in narcotics trafficking and that its occupants were narco-terrorists.
Critics and United Nations
Critics note that the military did not identify those killed, name the alleged organizations, or provide evidence supporting the claims.
Use of military force
US Military and Administration
General Francis L. Donovan described the strike as evidence of lethal precision, military capability, and resolve to protect the US homeland.
Critics and United Nations
The United Nations says countering drug trafficking is a law-enforcement matter and that lethal action at sea requires an imminent threat to life.
Legality of the campaign
US Military and Administration
The administration has pursued boat strikes instead of the previous policy of arresting suspected traffickers and prosecuting them in US courts.
Critics and United Nations
The UN and other critics say the strikes may violate international and US law; experts have described some attacks as potential war crimes.
- Deaths in latest strike
- Two sailors
- Location
- Eastern Pacific, international waters
- Campaign
- Operation Southern Spear
- Reported campaign toll
- At least 223 sailors killed in 67 strikes since September 2025
- US military justification
- Southern Command said the boat was involved in narcotics trafficking and carried narco-terrorists
- Evidence released
- The report says no identities, alleged terrorist organizations, or evidence of drug smuggling were provided
- UN position
- Lethal force in international waters is lawful only as a last resort against an imminent threat to life
- Regional agreements
- Pete Hegseth said Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras agreed to joint operations on their soil; Guatemala denied reaching such a deal, while Ecuador reached a similar agreement in March