U.S. Military Strikes Eastern Pacific Drug Boat, One Killed, December 22, 2025
Updated (2 articles)
Strike Executed on December 22, 2025, Killing One Person The U.S. armed forces launched a strike against a low‑profile vessel in the eastern Pacific on December 22, 2025, resulting in a single fatality [1][2]. Southern Command identified the target as operating on established narco‑trafficking routes, though no public evidence was released [1][2]. The incident follows a series of similar actions that began in early September 2025.
U.S. Officials Label Vessel a Narcotics Transport Both reports state the military classified the boat as engaged in drug smuggling intended for the United States [1][2]. The Trump administration framed the operation as part of a broader effort to curb narcotics flow and increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro [1][2]. No independent verification of the vessel’s cargo or crew composition has been provided.
Released Footage Shows Fire and Drifting Craft Southern Command posted video showing water splashes, a second salvo, and the vessel’s rear igniting, after which the boat drifted with a large fire patch along its side [1][2]. Earlier videos of prior strikes displayed explosions and rocket‑like projectiles, prompting questions about the weapons used [2]. The visual evidence is the primary public documentation of the December 22 strike.
Casualties Reach Over One Hundred Since September U.S. officials tally at least 105 deaths across 29 known strikes from early September through December 2025 [1][2]. Lawmakers and human‑rights groups have raised concerns about the lack of transparent evidence and the extrajudicial nature of the attacks [1][2]. Concurrently, the Coast Guard has expanded oil‑tanker interdiction in the Caribbean as part of the same anti‑Maduro campaign [1][2].
Sources
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1.
The Hindu: U.S. Strikes Another Alleged Drug Boat in Eastern Pacific, Killing One: Details the December 22 strike, the administration’s drug‑flow suppression rationale, casualty count, and expanded Coast Guard oil‑tanker interdiction .
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2.
AP: US Strikes Another Drug-Smuggling Boat in the Eastern Pacific, One Killed: Mirrors the strike description, adds context on prior strike videos, emphasizes political framing, and notes the same casualty tally and Coast Guard actions .
Timeline
Early September 2025 – The U.S. launches the first of a new campaign of strikes on low‑profile vessels operating on known narco‑trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific; by the end of the year a tally reaches 29 known strikes and at least 105 fatalities, prompting human‑rights groups to label the attacks “extrajudicial killings.” [1][2]
2025 (earlier in the year) – Southern Command releases video clips of previous strikes that show “explosions and rocket‑like projectiles” hitting target boats, sparking questions about the type of munitions used and the accuracy of the attacks. [1]
Dec 22 2025 – U.S. forces conduct a strike on a low‑profile drug‑smuggling boat in the Eastern Pacific, killing one person; released footage shows a second salvo, a rear‑side fire and the craft drifting away with a large blaze along its side. [1][2]
Dec 22 2025 – The Trump administration states that “the strikes are meant to stop the flow of drugs into the United States and increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro,” framing the operation as both a drug‑interdiction and a geopolitical pressure tactic. [1][2]
Dec 2025 (ongoing) – The U.S. Coast Guard expands its interdiction of oil tankers in the Caribbean, linking the effort to the broader campaign against Maduro’s regime and to curb illicit financing of narcotics trafficking. [1][2]