US Carries Out Three Strikes in Eastern Pacific, Killing 14 and Leaving One Survivor
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a significant escalation in US military operations against suspected drug-running boats in the Eastern Pacific on Monday. The strikes, which were carried out over three separate incidents, resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people and left one survivor.
The recent string of strikes marks a continued increase in the pace of these operations, with multiple incidents announced in a single day for the first time. Hegseth took to social media to announce the strikes, posting footage that showed two boats exploding into flames as they moved through the water.
According to Hegseth, the four vessels targeted by the US military were known to be transiting along narco-trafficking routes and carrying narcotics. The deaths brought the total number of fatalities from the 13 disclosed strikes since early September to at least 57 people.
Hegseth drew parallels between the US military's actions against drug trafficking and the war on terrorism following the 9/11 attacks, stating that cartels "have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda" and will be treated as such. This stance has been backed by President Donald Trump, who has claimed that the United States is engaged in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels.
However, there is no evidence to support the US claims about the boats' connection to drug cartels or the identity of those killed in the strikes. Critics have questioned the legality and justification of these operations, highlighting the lack of transparency and due process for those affected.
As the situation continues to unfold, concerns are growing about the impact of these strikes on regional stability and the potential consequences for civilian lives.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a significant escalation in US military operations against suspected drug-running boats in the Eastern Pacific on Monday. The strikes, which were carried out over three separate incidents, resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people and left one survivor.
The recent string of strikes marks a continued increase in the pace of these operations, with multiple incidents announced in a single day for the first time. Hegseth took to social media to announce the strikes, posting footage that showed two boats exploding into flames as they moved through the water.
According to Hegseth, the four vessels targeted by the US military were known to be transiting along narco-trafficking routes and carrying narcotics. The deaths brought the total number of fatalities from the 13 disclosed strikes since early September to at least 57 people.
Hegseth drew parallels between the US military's actions against drug trafficking and the war on terrorism following the 9/11 attacks, stating that cartels "have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda" and will be treated as such. This stance has been backed by President Donald Trump, who has claimed that the United States is engaged in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels.
However, there is no evidence to support the US claims about the boats' connection to drug cartels or the identity of those killed in the strikes. Critics have questioned the legality and justification of these operations, highlighting the lack of transparency and due process for those affected.
As the situation continues to unfold, concerns are growing about the impact of these strikes on regional stability and the potential consequences for civilian lives.
i mean idc about pete hegseth makin these statements, we need transparency & answers ASAP not just some video clippings posted online 57 ppl already dead 
what's next? are we just gonna keep bombin boats w/o any regard for human life? 
The more I read about this, the more I feel like we're lost in a never-ending cycle of retaliation & revenge. 57 people, 14 killed, and only ONE survivor? How can we justify calling these actions "strikes" when they're essentially just gunning down innocent folks on boats? 
We're talking about a war that's all about perceived threats, not real ones. It feels like the US is trying to create an enemy out of thin air, and then killing off anyone who gets in their way. 
. Where's the nuance here? Where's the diplomacy?
I mean they're supposed to protect us from terrorism, not just random people in boats who might be carrying some stuff. We need to know more about what's really going on and why they're targeting these specific boats. It sounds like a big mess and we should try to figure out what's the best way to handle it... 
maybe we can learn from past mistakes, like in Afghanistan or Iraq? 
I'm getting super uneasy about this escalation in US military ops against suspected drug-running boats in the Eastern Pacific... Like, what's the real deal here? We're talking about civilians, not enemy combatants, right? 
And those claims that cartels are worse than Al-Qaeda? Come on, have we been living under a rock? 
Where's the evidence to back this up? And I'm also worried about the lack of transparency and due process... it's like they're just blowing smoke without a care in the world 
. Can someone please get some facts to the table before we start throwing around charges and labels? 
. They're saying it's all about taking down narco-trafficking boats, but what about the people caught in the middle? We don't know anything about the boats they were on or who they were carrying - it sounds like a bunch of assumptions to me 
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. I mean, how can we trust that they actually took out narco-trafficking boats when there's no evidence? It just seems like more of an excuse for military action 
. And what about the people who were on those boats? Did they deserve to die just because of their proximity to narco-trafficking routes? It's all so... murky 
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, not just blindly following orders from politicians. We need more questions than answers 
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anyway, i'm not really worried about the civilians getting hurt or anything because, like, the US military knows what they're doing 
and pete hegseth is totes on point with his "war on terrorism" analogy 
we gotta stand behind our troops and do whatever it takes to keep us safe 
it seems like they're just trying to flex their muscles a bit too much 
They keep talking about the cartels being like Al-Qaeda, but honestly, how do we know who was on those boats and what their connection is? 
I mean, the US is always going on about due process, but when it comes to these strikes, they're pretty tight-lipped. 
That's got me wondering what really went down and who's really behind all this.
. But seriously, I'm really worried about all those innocent people who got caught in the crossfire. Like, what if they weren't even involved with cartels? It's not fair that we're just treating everyone as a potential threat without knowing what's going on.
. But still, we need to make sure we're doing this right and getting the facts straight before we start acting like vigilantes. This whole thing feels really sketchy to me 
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. And what's up with drawing parallels between this and the war on terror? That reminds me of when Obama was president and we had drones killing folks in Yemen 
. It's just not right, you know? We're supposed to be fighting for freedom, not blowing up boats and killing innocent people 
imagine you're in a boat, just chillin' on the water... then BAM! 
two explosions and you're like, "what's goin' on?!?" 
. transparency is key... or else we'll just be like "wait, what's the real story here?" 