US Military Strikes Narco-Trafficking Vessel in Eastern Pacific, Killing Two

The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) carried out a lethal strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific on May 8, killing two alleged male narco-terrorists. One person survived the attack, and the US Coast Guard was immediately notified to activate the search and rescue system.

According to SOUTHCOM, intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. The strike was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear, under the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan .

This operation is part of an ongoing campaign to disrupt cartel-linked trafficking operations in the region. The US military has carried out multiple strikes in recent months, targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.

The strike follows similar operations earlier this week, including one that killed three suspected narco-terrorists on Tuesday and another that killed two in the Caribbean on Monday. Since September 2025, Operation Southern Spear has struck approximately 46 vessels, resulting in the deaths of around 156-157 people .

Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have criticized these strikes as “unlawful extrajudicial killings”