U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat kills 1, leaves 2 survivors

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: strike on an alleged drug boat kills 1, leaves 2 survivors June 17, 20261:47 AM ET By The Associated Press President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Washington, as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, looks on. Jacquelyn Martin/AP hide caption toggle caption Jacquelyn Martin/AP The U. military attacked a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, killing one man and leaving two survivors, as the Trump administration continues its monthslong campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America.

strikes on alleged drug boats have done little to stop the flow of illegal drugs The latest attack brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U. military to at least 208 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls "narcoterrorists" in early September. As with most of the military's statements on strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.

The Details

Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. A video posted on X showed a boat traveling in the water before being hit by the strike and bursting into flames.

Sponsor Message Southern Command said it "immediately notified U. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors. " President Donald Trump has said the U.

is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists. " Politics As strikes on alleged drug boats grow, so do questions about their legality and goal Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.

What Experts Say

over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India. The strikes have drawn intense scrutiny from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal scholars. military's first strike in early September drew particular concern from some lawmakers and those who study military law.

Two men on the boat initially survived the attack that killed nine others, and they were clinging to the wreckage when the vessel was struck again, killing them. The White House confirmed the follow-up strike, insisting it was done "in self-defense" to ensure the boat was destroyed and in accordance with the laws of armed conflict. Sponsor Message But some legal scholars said a second strike killing survivors would have been illegal under any circumstance, armed conflict or not.

The Pentagon's watchdog said in May that it plans to look into whether the U.

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