The U.S. military campaign targeting suspected maritime drug trafficking has killed 110 people and destroyed 34 boats, officials say. Several survivors were reported, including two briefly detained by the U.S. Navy; one person is presumed dead after a Mexican Navy search. The Trump administration has described the effort as an "armed conflict" with cartels and cited a classified Justice Department finding to permit lethal strikes without judicial review. Critics and human rights groups have challenged that legal basis and urged prosecution instead of targeted killings.
Timeline: US Maritime Strikes Against Suspected Drug Vessels — 110 Dead, 34 Boats Destroyed
This grid of images shows 10 of the incidents in which the US military has targeted boats in international waters, from September 2 to October 29. - Pete Hegseth/X/Donald Trump/Truth Social
Overview: The U.S. military has carried out a series of maritime strikes that officials say were aimed at curtailing the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States. According to official tallies, the strikes have killed 110 people and destroyed 34 vessels.
Several survivors have been reported. Two survivors were briefly detained by the U.S. Navy and subsequently returned to their home countries; another person is presumed dead after a search by the Mexican Navy. The U.S. Coast Guard launched a search for an unspecified number of people who abandoned ship prior to vessels being struck on Dec. 30 in international waters.
Legal and Policy Questions
Beginning with the first strike on Sept. 2, the Trump administration notified Congress that it considers the U.S. to be engaged in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels. The administration has labeled those killed "unlawful combatants" and cited a classified Department of Justice finding to assert the authority to conduct lethal strikes without traditional judicial review.
Critics — including some members of Congress and several human rights organizations — have challenged that legal characterization, arguing that suspected drug traffickers should be prosecuted through the criminal justice system rather than targeted with lethal force.
Evidence and Transparency
The administration has not publicly released evidence showing narcotics were present aboard the struck vessels or demonstrating direct links between the vessels and specific drug cartels. Military officials have said no U.S. service members were injured in the operations.
Status: Reporting on these strikes is ongoing. News outlets have updated their coverage as additional details became available.
