WASHINGTON – In a significant move underscoring its campaign against drug trafficking, the U.S. military announced the elimination of six individuals on Sunday. The operation targeted a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, aligning with the Trump administration’s intensified efforts to combat alleged traffickers.

This latest strike adds to a growing number of casualties, with at least 157 individuals reportedly killed since early September when the administration began focusing on what it calls “narcoterrorists” using small boats for drug transport. The U.S. Southern Command, which oversees these operations, has conducted over 40 strikes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, focusing on known smuggling routes.

Despite the military’s statements, details remain sparse, as there is often no concrete evidence provided to substantiate claims that these vessels are indeed carrying drugs. A video shared on X depicted a small boat being destroyed at sea, yet the specific link to drug trafficking was not clarified.

President Donald Trump has been vocal about what he describes as an “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels. He argues that these military actions are crucial to curbing the influx of illegal drugs into the United States. However, the administration has faced criticism for the lack of evidence supporting its narrative of targeting “narcoterrorists.”

In discussions with Latin American leaders on Saturday, Trump urged regional cooperation, advocating for military intervention against drug cartels and transnational gangs, which he views as significant threats to national security. This call to action has resonated, as evidenced by recent joint military operations between Ecuador and the United States against organized crime groups in Ecuador.

To that end, Ecuador and the United States conducted military operations this past week against organized crime groups in the South American country.

With Saturday’s gathering, Trump aimed to demonstrate that he remains committed to focusing U.S. foreign policy on the Western Hemisphere, even while waging a war on Iran that has had repercussions across the Middle East.

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.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

The boat strikes also drew intense criticism following the revelation that the military killed survivors of the very first boat attack with a follow-up strike. The Trump administration and many Republican lawmakers said it was legal and necessary, while Democratic lawmakers and legal experts said the killings were murder, if not a war crime.