US Confirms Four Killed in 20th Strike on Caribbean Vessel amid Regional Military Buildup

US Confirms Four Killed in 20th Strike on Caribbean Vessel

The United States military has acknowledged that four people were killed when a vessel was struck in international waters — the reported 20th such attack on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. The strike, which occurred on Monday, was announced by US Southern Command in a post on X and was said to have been authorised by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Southern Command described the vessel as "trafficking narcotics," but provided no public evidence to substantiate that claim.

Southern Command released a short aerial video showing the boat traveling in the Caribbean and the subsequent strike, which produced a large explosion and engulfed the craft in flames.

Legal and human-rights concerns

International law and human-rights experts have warned that such strikes can amount to extrajudicial killings, even when the targets are alleged drug traffickers. Human-rights groups and regional leaders have repeatedly criticised these operations and called for transparency and independent investigation into civilian harm and legal justification.

Scale of operations and regional response

According to prior reporting, the Trump administration has ordered at least 20 strikes in recent months against suspected drug-running vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coasts of Latin America, actions that have reportedly killed about 80 people. Reuters reported that senior administration officials held multiple White House meetings this week to consider potential military options related to Venezuela, citing unnamed sources.

The reported discussions coincide with a significant increase in US military presence in the region. The Pentagon said the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group — including the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford — arrived in the Caribbean this week with roughly 4,000 sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft. In total, officials say about 12,000 US sailors and Marines are now deployed in the area under an operation Secretary Hegseth has formally named "Operation Southern Spear." The administration has also deployed F-35 aircraft, warships and a nuclear submarine.

Political context and public opinion

Under the US Constitution, Congress has the sole power to declare war. President Trump, however, has said he would not "necessarily ask for a declaration of war" to continue targeting people he described as "bringing drugs into our country." A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found limited public support for stepped-up military action in the region: 29% of respondents said they supported the extrajudicial killings of suspected traffickers, and 21% supported military intervention in Venezuela.

Regional leaders condemn actions

Leaders across Central and South America have condemned the strikes and the US military buildup, arguing the actions violate a 2014 declaration designating the area a "Zone of Peace." The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a 33-country bloc that signed the declaration in Havana in 2014, has been vocal in its criticism; the United States is not a member.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla described the US deployment as "an act of provocation that threatens the self-determination of our peoples," according to Venezuela-based Telesur. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro have also publicly criticised the strikes. In a national broadcast, Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro accused the administration of "fabricating a new eternal war" in the region and said Venezuela had prepared a "massive deployment" of forces in case of a US attack.

Questions about legal authority, the evidence for drug-trafficking claims, civilian harm and the growing military posture in the hemisphere have intensified calls for independent inquiries and congressional oversight.