The United States military has carried out another strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean, killing four people, according to US authorities.
The US Southern Command said the vessel was targeted while allegedly operating along established narcotics-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
The latest strike brings the reported death toll from US military attacks on suspected drug-trafficking boats to at least 235 people in 70 operations since the Trump administration launched its counter-narcoterrorism campaign, known as Operation Southern Spear, in September 2025.
US President Donald Trump has described the campaign against drug cartels in Latin America as an armed conflict, arguing that military action is necessary to disrupt illegal drug trafficking and reduce drug-related deaths in the United States.
However, United Nations experts have raised concerns about the legality of the strikes, warning that some of the attacks could violate international law and potentially amount to crimes against humanity.
Although the US military released video footage showing an explosion that destroyed the vessel, it has not provided evidence publicly demonstrating that the targeted boat was carrying drugs.
The Trump administration has also been pursuing security agreements with countries across Latin America as part of efforts to expand joint military operations against criminal cartels.
The US-led Shield of the Americas coalition, launched in March, aims to strengthen regional security and combat drug cartels, while also countering China's growing economic influence in the Western Hemisphere.
During a visit to Panama in August, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to participate in joint counter-crime military operations. Guatemala later disputed parts of the announcement, stressing its sovereignty and territorial boundaries.
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