Timeline: US Maritime Strikes That Killed 95 People and Sank 26 Vessels

The US military has conducted a series of maritime strikes it says were aimed at disrupting narcotics trafficking into the United States. According to official accounts, the campaign — publicly described by the Pentagon as Operation Southern Spear — has killed 95 people and destroyed 26 vessels across the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. Authorities say three people survived the attacks: two were briefly detained aboard a US Navy ship and later repatriated to Ecuador and Colombia; a third person is now presumed dead after a Mexican Navy search.

The Trump administration informed Congress that it regards the operations as part of an "armed conflict" with designated drug cartels and has characterized those killed as "unlawful combatants," relying on a classified Department of Justice finding to justify lethal strikes without routine judicial review. That position has drawn criticism from members of Congress, human-rights groups and some international leaders, who have called for greater transparency and said suspected traffickers should face arrest and prosecution under established interdiction policies.

Military officials maintain that no US service members were harmed in the strikes. Independent public evidence linking drugs or named cartel membership to each targeted vessel has not been released, and officials briefed on the operations have said they could not always determine a boat's intended destination or present conclusive public proof of cartel affiliation.

Timeline (Selected Incidents)

Sept. 2 — First Reported Strike (Caribbean)
The campaign began with a strike the administration described as targeting members of the group Tren de Aragua. Sources reported that an initial attack did not kill everyone aboard and that a follow-up "double-tap" strike killed remaining crew members, raising legal and ethical questions about strikes against people who may have been hors de combat (out of the fight due to injury or surrender).

Mid-September — Early Follow-Up Strikes (International Waters)
Less than two weeks later, US forces struck another vessel in international waters, killing three. The White House said the ship was transporting narcotics from Venezuela; Venezuelan officials condemned the strikes and called for international scrutiny.

Late September–October — Series of Caribbean Strikes
Multiple additional strikes were announced, with individual incidents reported to have killed between two and six people per vessel. US officials publicly characterized the targets as involved in narcotics trafficking and affiliated with designated organizations, while offering limited public evidence linking specific boats to named cartels.

Oct. 16 — Strike With Two Survivors Repatriated
One strike left two survivors, who were briefly held on a US Navy ship and returned to Ecuador and Colombia. Officials and family members provided differing accounts about the survivors' past records and criminal histories. Colombian and Ecuadorian authorities reported receiving and evaluating the men.

Late October — Expansion Into Eastern Pacific; Multiple Strikes
The campaign expanded into the Eastern Pacific. On Oct. 27, Defense officials reported multiple strikes in a single day that used several missiles to hit four vessels and killed 14 people across those ships. One survivor was not recovered and later presumed dead after search efforts.

November–December — Continued Operations
The Pentagon and US Southern Command announced further strikes in both the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific through November and into mid-December. Announced incidents included additional multi-vessel attacks and strikes that killed between two and six people apiece. On Dec. 15, Joint Task Force Southern Spear reported lethal strikes on three vessels in the eastern Pacific that killed eight people combined. Officials repeatedly stated there were no US casualties.

Key Issues And Reactions

Legal And Humanitarian Concerns
Critics have raised concerns about the legal basis for the strikes, particularly the use of a classified DOJ determination to justify lethal force without judicial review and the conduct of "double-tap" strikes that may target individuals no longer actively fighting. Human-rights organizations have called for independent investigations and clearer evidence linking struck vessels to narcotics trafficking or designated cartels.

Diplomatic Fallout
Venezuela condemned the strikes as "serial executions" and accused the United States of pursuing regime-change objectives. Colombia's president publicly criticized some operations, and diplomatic tensions have followed some reported incidents, including disputes over whether innocent civilians were killed.

Transparency
Defense briefings to members of Congress have, according to reporting, not publicly shown conclusive evidence linking every targeted crew to Tren de Aragua or confirming intended destinations for all struck vessels. The administration and Pentagon officials argue the strikes are necessary to disrupt trafficking networks and protect the homeland.

This account is based on publicly available official statements and reporting through mid-December and reflects the information released by the US government and reporting outlets; questions about some specifics remain open pending further disclosure or independent investigation.