U.S. Military Strikes Five Drug Boats, Killing Eight and Leaving Survivors Adrift
Updated (2 articles)
Two‑day operation hits five vessels, eight dead The U.S. Southern Command reported strikes on five alleged drug‑smuggling boats over two consecutive days, killing eight people and leaving other occupants possibly adrift after they jumped overboard [1]. The first attack killed three individuals; the second day saw two additional boats struck, resulting in five more deaths [1]. Southern Command immediately alerted the U.S. Coast Guard to launch search‑and‑rescue missions for any survivors [1].
Locations undisclosed, prior attacks in Caribbean and Pacific Officials did not reveal the waterways where the Tuesday and Wednesday strikes occurred, continuing a pattern of secrecy around such operations [1]. Earlier missions have been confirmed in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean [1]. A released video showed a convoy of three boats moving in close formation, described as atypical for narcotics trafficking, and the military claimed the vessels transferred drugs among themselves before being hit [1].
Cumulative strike tally reaches 35, death toll exceeds 115 The latest attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes since early September to 35, with at least 115 people killed in the campaign [1]. The eight fatalities reported in this round raise the overall casualty count, adding three deaths from the first vessel and five from the two struck on Wednesday [1]. The administration continues to track each engagement as part of a broader anti‑narco effort [1].
Trump administration frames strikes as escalation against cartels and Maduro President Trump defended the operations as a necessary escalation to curb drug flow into the United States, labeling the effort an “armed conflict” with drug cartels [1]. The strikes coincide with heightened pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces U.S. narco‑terrorism charges [1]. A recent CIA drone strike near a cartel docking area marked the first direct U.S. action on Venezuelan soil, underscoring the administration’s expanding campaign [1].
Timeline
Early Sep 2025 – The U.S. launches its first boat‑strike of the campaign, targeting a vessel on a known narco‑trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific. The strike kills the crew and marks the start of a series of aerial attacks that the Trump administration later counts toward its “armed conflict” with drug cartels. [2]
Late Sep 2025 – A follow‑up strike hits the wreckage of the September attack, killing two survivors who cling to the debris. The operation demonstrates the U.S. policy of pursuing “hard‑line” tactics against any remaining targets. [2]
Dec 18, 2025 – U.S. Southern Command conducts two more strikes in the Eastern Pacific, killing five traffickers (three on one boat, two on another). The attacks raise the known strike tally to 28 and the death count to at least 104, prompting heightened scrutiny from congressional lawmakers. [2]
Dec 29, 2025 – On the first day of a two‑day operation, U.S. forces strike a drug‑smuggling boat, killing three people. Southern Command “immediately notifies the Coast Guard to activate search‑and‑rescue efforts,” underscoring the coordination between military and civilian agencies. [1]
Dec 30, 2025 – The operation continues with two additional boats hit, killing five more traffickers and bringing the total known strikes to 35 and the cumulative death toll to at least 115 since early September. President Trump defends the campaign as “a necessary escalation to stem drug flow into the United States,” while a recent CIA drone strike is described as “the first direct operation on Venezuelan soil since strikes began,” signaling an expanded pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro. [1]