US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said six people were killed in strikes on two suspected drug-running boats in international waters of the eastern Pacific, raising the campaign's reported death toll to 76. The administration has not produced firm public evidence that the vessels posed a direct threat, and critics argue the strikes may amount to extrajudicial killings. UN rights chief Volker Türk has urged investigations, saying there are "strong indications" of human rights violations. The strikes coincide with a US naval buildup in the Caribbean, including the incoming USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group.
US Strikes on Suspected Drug Boats Kill Six; UN and Rights Groups Call for Investigation
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said six people were killed in strikes on two suspected drug-running boats in international waters of the eastern Pacific, raising the campaign's reported death toll to 76. The administration has not produced firm public evidence that the vessels posed a direct threat, and critics argue the strikes may amount to extrajudicial killings. UN rights chief Volker Türk has urged investigations, saying there are "strong indications" of human rights violations. The strikes coincide with a US naval buildup in the Caribbean, including the incoming USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group.
12:03 AM, 11/11/2025Security
US forces have killed six people in strikes on two suspected drug-running vessels in international waters of the eastern Pacific, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday, bringing the campaign's reported death toll to 76.
In a post on X, Hegseth said the strikes occurred on Sunday and targeted two boats he described as "carrying narcotics," each with three people aboard. "All 6 were killed. No U.S. forces were harmed," he wrote. Officials did not release the names of those killed.
The strikes are part of an operation that began in September under President Donald Trump's administration. The administration has told Congress it considers US forces to be engaged in an "armed conflict" with Latin American drug cartels and has characterized some cartels as terrorist organizations to justify the operations.
Hegseth also said the two vessels were "operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations," but he did not identify which groups. The White House and Pentagon have not publicly produced conclusive evidence that the boats were actively smuggling drugs or posed a direct threat to the United States.
Video, damage and casualties
Video posted with Hegseth's message shows one stationary boat under strike and another open-top vessel exploding while underway. A short color clip of the moving boat appears to show parcels on board; the stationary craft is shown in black-and-white with few discernible details.
US strikes have now destroyed at least 20 vessels in the operation — 19 boats and one semi-submersible. Two survivors of earlier strikes were repatriated to Ecuador and Colombia; none of those affected have been publicly charged with crimes. Relatives of some victims say the dead were fishermen.
Legal and human-rights concerns
Independent experts and critics say the lethal strikes risk amounting to extrajudicial killings, even when the targets are alleged traffickers. Historically, US policy has prioritized capturing and seizing suspected smuggling vessels rather than using lethal force; transporting narcotics is not a capital offense under US law.
UN rights chief Volker Türk told AFP there are "strong indications" the operations may violate international human rights law and called for investigations by the US administration to determine whether the strikes constitute extrajudicial killings.
Regional context
The campaign has coincided with a US naval buildup in the Caribbean: six US Navy ships are already in the region and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group is expected to arrive in the coming days. Washington says the deployments aim to combat drug trafficking; Venezuelan authorities, including Caracas, view the presence as a possible threat aimed at the Maduro government.
International and domestic calls for transparency and investigation are growing as questions persist about the targets, legal authority, and rules of engagement that govern the strikes.