The US military has killed three people in a fresh strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean, bringing the death toll from the ongoing campaign against narco-traffickers to at least 180.
US Southern Command confirmed the “lethal kinetic strike” carried out on Sunday, describing the target as a boat operating along established narcotics routes and linked to organised drug trafficking networks.
A military statement posted on X classified the vessel as one operated by “designated terrorist organisations” and claimed that all three men onboard were involved in drug trafficking activities at the time of the strike.
The operation is the latest in a series of maritime attacks launched under President Donald Trump’s administration, which began in September 2025 and have intensified in recent weeks, with at least six recorded in April alone.
Washington has defended the campaign as a necessary component of its broader war against what it calls “narco-terrorists” operating across Latin America. Officials insist the strikes are essential to disrupt drug supply chains reaching North America.
However, the rising casualty figures have drawn sharp international criticism. Rights groups and legal experts have questioned the legality of the operations, arguing that the US has not provided verifiable evidence to prove that all targeted vessels were actively engaged in drug trafficking.
Critics have described some of the strikes as “extrajudicial killings,” particularly in cases where individuals onboard were not shown to pose an immediate threat. They have also highlighted a lack of transparency around the intelligence used for targeting, warning that it raises serious accountability issues.
An AFP tally puts the total number of people killed in such operations at least 180 since the campaign started.
Despite the backlash, US officials maintain that the actions remain proportionate and focused on disrupting illegal trafficking networks.
The latest incident is expected to intensify debate over the scale and conduct of the US military campaign in the region, as questions about proportionality and due process continue to mount. No further details on the identities of the three men killed or the exact location of the strike within the Caribbean were immediately released.
