WASHINGTON —

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the U.S. military has carried out three strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean on four boats accused of carrying drugs, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor on the deadliest single day since the Trump administration began its divisive campaign against drug trafficking in the waters off South America.

It was the first time multiple strikes were announced in a single day as the pace of the attacks has escalated. The nearly two-month campaign and U.S. military buildup have strained ties with allies in the region and opened speculation that the moves are aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the U.S. has accused of narcoterrorism.

A statement provided by a Pentagon official, who spoke on the condit

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