WASHINGTON — The U.S. military announced on Friday that it has conducted another lethal operation against a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

According to the U.S. Southern Command’s social media update, the targeted boat was navigating recognized drug smuggling routes and was involved in illegal narcotics activities. The strike resulted in the deaths of three individuals. A video accompanying the post shows the boat in water moments before it erupts into flames.

This latest operation adds to a series of strikes initiated by the Trump administration, bringing the total fatalities to at least 148 across 43 incidents in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific since early September.

President Donald Trump has declared that the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, justifying the strikes as a crucial step to curb drug trafficking. However, the administration has provided limited evidence to substantiate claims of targeting “narcoterrorists.”

Skeptics have raised concerns about the legality and effectiveness of these operations, noting that the fentanyl responsible for numerous overdose deaths is often smuggled into the U.S. via land routes from Mexico, where it is manufactured using chemicals from China and India.

The military’s actions have faced sharp criticism, particularly after reports that the initial boat attack included a follow-up strike on survivors. While the Trump administration and several Republican lawmakers argue these actions were lawful and necessary, Democratic lawmakers and legal experts have condemned them as potential murder or even war crimes.