The Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced on Saturday that the US military had conducted another deadly strike on suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea.
Hegseth revealed in a social media post that the targeted vessel was operated by a US-designated terrorist organization, resulting in the deaths of three individuals.
This marks the 15th such strike carried out by the US military in the Caribbean or eastern Pacific since early September.
Hegseth emphasized that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics, based on intelligence reports.
The US military has now been responsible for the deaths of at least 64 individuals in these strikes.
President Trump has defended these actions as necessary to combat the flow of drugs into the United States, citing an “armed conflict” with drug cartels similar to the war on terrorism following 9/11.
Despite demands for transparency from US lawmakers, the White House has withheld information regarding the legal justification for the strikes and specifics on the targeted cartels and individuals.
Hegseth reiterated in his announcement that the Defense Department will treat “narco-terrorists” the same way as Al-Qaeda.
In a letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Hegseth, Senate Democrats reiterated their request for more information on the strikes, including legal justifications and targeted groups.
Signatories of the letter included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with Sens. Jack Reed, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner, Chris Coons, Patty Murray, and Brian Schatz.
