Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the US military has carried out strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean on four boats accused of carrying drugs, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor in 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 US military buildup have strained ties with allies in the region and opened speculation that the moves are aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro, whom the US has accused of narcoterrorism.

A statement provided by a Pentagon official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely di

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