US Military Launches Strikes on Pacific Ocean Vessels Allegedly Trafficking Narcotics, Killing 14 People.
The US military on Monday carried out three strikes on four vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean that were allegedly trafficking narcotics, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday. The operation resulted in the deaths of 14 people and one survivor, who was rescued by Mexican authorities.
According to Hegseth, the boats being targeted were operated by designated terrorist organizations (DTOs) and were known to US intelligence apparatus. A video shared by Hegseth showing the strikes has been made public, but details about the vessels or the alleged narcotics they were carrying remain scarce.
The strikes are part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump's administration to crack down on drug smugglers in the region. The move comes amid bipartisan pushback from lawmakers who have expressed concerns that the administration is not being transparent enough about its actions.
Critics argue that the strikes amount to "murder" and that the president should use alternative means, such as the Coast Guard, before resorting to military force. Senator Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he does not believe the administration has the legal authority to carry out strikes without congressional approval.
The latest strike brings the total number of people killed in US military operations so far this year to 57. The administration has launched a total of 13 strikes, with five occurring in the eastern Pacific and eight taking place in the Caribbean Sea.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed disapproval of the strikes when asked about them at a news conference Tuesday, saying that her country wants all international treaties to be respected. She requested that the ambassador from Mexico be called in and that the situation be reviewed.
The moves are seen as an escalation of Trump's threats to crack down on drug smugglers, even amid bipartisan pushback. The administration has faced criticism for its handling of the issue, with some lawmakers accusing it of violating the Constitution by pursuing military action without congressional approval.
In September, US military officials were reportedly preparing options to target traffickers in Venezuela, a move that could potentially take place in a matter of weeks.
The US military on Monday carried out three strikes on four vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean that were allegedly trafficking narcotics, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday. The operation resulted in the deaths of 14 people and one survivor, who was rescued by Mexican authorities.
According to Hegseth, the boats being targeted were operated by designated terrorist organizations (DTOs) and were known to US intelligence apparatus. A video shared by Hegseth showing the strikes has been made public, but details about the vessels or the alleged narcotics they were carrying remain scarce.
The strikes are part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump's administration to crack down on drug smugglers in the region. The move comes amid bipartisan pushback from lawmakers who have expressed concerns that the administration is not being transparent enough about its actions.
Critics argue that the strikes amount to "murder" and that the president should use alternative means, such as the Coast Guard, before resorting to military force. Senator Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he does not believe the administration has the legal authority to carry out strikes without congressional approval.
The latest strike brings the total number of people killed in US military operations so far this year to 57. The administration has launched a total of 13 strikes, with five occurring in the eastern Pacific and eight taking place in the Caribbean Sea.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed disapproval of the strikes when asked about them at a news conference Tuesday, saying that her country wants all international treaties to be respected. She requested that the ambassador from Mexico be called in and that the situation be reviewed.
The moves are seen as an escalation of Trump's threats to crack down on drug smugglers, even amid bipartisan pushback. The administration has faced criticism for its handling of the issue, with some lawmakers accusing it of violating the Constitution by pursuing military action without congressional approval.
In September, US military officials were reportedly preparing options to target traffickers in Venezuela, a move that could potentially take place in a matter of weeks.
You know what's crazy? We live in a world where some people are fighting for justice, but others just want to play by the rules 
. The US military is trying to stop traffickers, but some lawmakers are worried about following procedure 
. It's like, if you're on a mission to catch bad guys, do you call ahead or just go in guns blazing? 
. We need to consider the bigger picture: stopping narcotics from flowing into our communities. But we also have to think about protecting innocent lives and following due process 
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. It's a reminder that sometimes, the right thing to do isn't always clear-cut 
. We need to have open conversations about these issues and find solutions that work for everyone 
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they're going to make a huge mess out there and put innocent people in harm's way #NotMyWar #StopTheBloodshed 
the admin needs to think twice before taking drastic action like this, they should've just worked with Mexico to crack down on trafficking instead of resorting to force 
#CollaborationOverConflict #PeaceNotViolence 
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. Need some clarity on what's going on and who's in charge 
Can't we find better ways to deal with this issue? Like, have they considered working with other countries or even just supporting law enforcement agencies in the region? 
the fact that they're being called "designated terrorist organizations" raises red flags for me - what's the actual evidence against them? Are we talking about one-sided surveillance here or are we actually doing our due diligence to ensure justice is served? 
. can't we just work with mex and others to stop trafficking? 
what's the hurry? 
also, isnt it crazy that congress r sayin they dont think its legal for them to do this? 
how are they gonna fix this? 
14 lives lost because of alleged narcotics trafficking? It's just not right 
I mean, wouldn't it have been better to just call in the Coast Guard or something? 
Like, why resort to violence first? It's not like we don't already know what these people are doing. It's all about being proactive and taking action, but at what cost? 
I'm also super worried about this escalation of Trump's threats... it feels like we're heading towards a bigger conflict 
. Can't we just find a more diplomatic solution to this problem? 
Of course, because what's more effective than bombing a bunch of boats and killing 14 people? That's not a recipe for disaster at all 
. I mean, who needs due process or transparency when you can just use military force to solve the problem? And hey, it's not like we're talking about a humanitarian crisis here... it's just a bunch of smugglers doing what comes naturally to humans, right? 
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. But at the same time, you can't help but think about those 14 lives lost... what was going on with those vessels? Were they really just smuggling narcotics or was there more to it? 
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I'm also thinking about that one senator who said something like the admin doesn't have the right to just launch strikes without Congress being in the loop 
that makes sense to me too. 
. This is why we need more transparency and oversight from Congress 
. Can't trust the military to make these decisions on their own 
The fact that lawmakers are already pushing back and saying the administration is not being transparent enough just shows how much of a mess this whole situation is.