All the U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats

All the U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats World Oct 31, 2025 4:23 PM EDT

The U.S. military has killed dozens of people in targeted strikes on small vessels in waters off South America since early September.

President Donald Trump says the deadly attacks are combating drug smuggling. But the unilateral strikes have prompted questions from lawmakers, including Republicans, about his legal authority to use lethal force and what supporting evidence the Pentagon has that the people on these boats are connected to drug trafficking or narcoterrorism.

To date, the Trump administration has acknowledged at least 14 strikes against boats suspected of transporting narcotics, killing more than 60 people.

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