Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the U.S. military has executed another targeted strike in the Eastern Pacific. This operation aimed at alleged terrorists involved in drug trafficking activities.
According to Hegseth, three individuals suspected of being narco-terrorists were killed in the operation. The strikes were carried out under the directive of President Donald Trump.
Hegseth elaborated, stating that the Pentagon had initiated a “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. He emphasized that the deceased individuals were actively engaged in narcotics trafficking in the Eastern Pacific region.
“Our intelligence had identified the vessel as being involved in illegal drug smuggling,” Hegseth explained. “It was traveling along a recognized trafficking route and was loaded with narcotics. The strike, which took place in international waters, resulted in the deaths of three male narco-terrorists. No U.S. personnel were injured in the operation.”
This marks the ninth such vessel strike since September, and the second specifically in the Eastern Pacific. In total, 37 individuals have been reported killed in these operations, with two survivors who were subsequently repatriated to their respective countries.
On October 22, 2025, a U.S. military drone strike, authorized by President Trump, destroyed a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of three suspected narco-terrorists, as confirmed by the Department of War.
“These strikes will continue, day after day,” Hegseth said on Wednesday. “These are not simply drug runners—these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities. These DTOs are the ‘Al Qaeda’ of our hemisphere and will not escape justice. We will find them and kill them, until the threat to the American people is extinguished.”
The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed or evidence of drugs on board.
The Trump administration has been scrutinized in recent weeks over the strikes, including by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.
A U.S. military drone strike ordered by President Trump destroyed a vessel in the Eastern Pacific on Oct. 22, 2025, killing three suspected narco-terrorists, according to the Department of War. (Department of War)
In a recent interview, Paul cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded for suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.
The senator has also argued that if the administration plans to engage in a war with Venezuela, as it has targeted boats in recent weeks it claims are transporting drugs for the Venezuela-linked Tren de Aragua gang, it must seek a declaration of war from Congress.
