US launches three strikes on 4 vessels in Eastern Pacific, kills 14

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Social media
Today 19:07
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The US once again cites the alleged narcotics routes at sea to justify attacks on vessels, prompting regional and legal scrutiny.

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A boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean before being struck by US forces, October 27, 2025 (X/ @SecWar)

The United States conducted three lethal strikes on four vessels in the Eastern Pacific on Monday, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in a social media statement on X.

Hegseth said the operations were carried out “at the direction of President Donald Trump” and targeted ships allegedly operated by “Designated Terrorist Organizations” allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking.

Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific.

The four vessels were known by our intelligence… pic.twitter.com/UhoFlZ3jPG
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 28, 2025

According to Hegseth, US intelligence had tracked the four vessels "along known narco-trafficking routes." He detailed the strikes: eight people were killed in the first, four in the second, and three in the third, totaling 14 deaths with a single survivor. “All strikes took place in international waters and no US personnel were harmed,” he claimed.

The lone survivor was processed under standard search-and-rescue procedures, with US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) activating SAR protocols and Mexican authorities taking responsibility for coordinating the rescue. Video clips and posts shared by the Department of War and Hegseth on social platforms showed explosions at sea and what officials described as destroyed fast boats.

'A shift in US policy'

Hegseth framed the strikes as part of a larger shift in US policy. “The Department has spent over TWO DECADES defending other homelands. Now, we’re defending our own,” he wrote. He further claimed, “These narco‑terrorists have killed more Americans than Al‑Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them.”

The operations follow a series of recent US naval and air actions targeting vessels under the unfounded pretext of carrying drugs in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Reports and briefings indicate the campaign began in September and has resulted in multiple strikes and dozens of deaths, raising regional tensions.

Strikes spark debate over legality, regional impact

The use of military force against suspected drug traffickers, along with the administration’s decision to label some trafficking groups as “terrorist” actors, has drawn scrutiny from legal experts, human rights groups, and some lawmakers.

Critics warn that strikes at sea present complex challenges under international law and question the role of law enforcement agencies such as the US Coast Guard. Administration officials argue the operations are necessary to disrupt networks responsible for mass drug-related deaths in the US.

Mexico and other regional governments have responded cautiously. Mexican authorities, who accepted responsibility for the lone survivor, have in past cases protested unilateral military actions near their waters. Latin American officials have warned that sustained US operations in the region could cause diplomatic friction.

Caracas slams 'military provocation' by US, Trinidad and Tobago drills

Meanwhile, amid continued strikes in the region, Caracas has accused Washington and its regional partners of staging a new show of force in the Caribbean, warning that the drills with Trinidad and Tobago represent part of a broader US strategy to pressure and destabilize Venezuela and threaten its national sovereignty.

In a statement, Caracas warned that these operations represent not defensive exercises, as claimed by Washington, but rather a direct attempt to militarize the region and spark confrontation.

Venezuela further stressed that the joint military activities are part of a broader plot involving a false-flag operation. According to the government’s statement, “a false flag attack is underway in waters bordering Trinidad and Tobago or from Trinidadian or Venezuelan territory to generate a full military confrontation with our country.”

The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also criticized the government of Trinidad and Tobago for compromising its independence by aligning militarily with the US. It stated that this move amounts to a “clear concession of national sovereignty” and accused Port of Spain of acting as a "military colony serving US interests."

Venezuela launches coastal defense drills amid US military build-up

Venezuela has begun large-scale coastal defense exercises in response to potential “covert operations” by the United States, as Washington expands its military footprint in the region, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced on Saturday.

Last Friday, Venezuelan state media broadcast footage of armed forces deployed across nine coastal states as part of the nationwide drills. Images also showed a member of the Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela with a Russian-made Igla-S shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile, underscoring the country’s readiness for a possible confrontation.

The move came just a day after the Pentagon ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Caribbean, marking a sharp escalation in an ongoing US campaign of air and naval strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats that have already killed at least 43 people. The USS Gerald R. Ford, flagship of Carrier Strike Group 12 and the US Navy’s most advanced and powerful aircraft carrier, has been deployed to the Caribbean under what the Pentagon claims is an operation to combat drug trafficking.

While Washington officially frames the deployment as an anti-narcotics operation, analysts note that the scale and firepower of the forces, including an aircraft carrier, guided-missile destroyers, a nuclear-powered submarine, stealth aircraft, and thousands of Marines, far exceed what is needed for standard drug interdiction.

The concentration of these assets near Venezuelan waters, combined with repeated US accusations against President Nicolas Maduro and statements about covert operations, signals that the build-up also serves as a show of force, preparing for potential military aggression or exerting pressure for regime change.

Since September 2, as of October 28, US forces have bombed at least 14 boats Washington alleges were involved in narcotics trafficking. Trump continues to accuse Maduro of leading a “drug cartel", an allegation Maduro has repeatedly rejected as part of Washington’s long-standing campaign to topple his government.