Overview
- U.S. Southern Command said a Feb. 9 strike in the eastern Pacific targeted a vessel it described as operated by a designated terrorist group on a known smuggling route.
- Two people were killed and one person survived, according to Southcom's statement posted on X.
- The U.S. Coast Guard was notified to conduct a search-and-rescue operation for the reported survivor.
- Since September, U.S. forces have carried out 38 attacks on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Pacific and Caribbean, with about 130 people reported killed.
- Critics question the legality of the operations and the lack of publicly presented evidence, as the Pentagon plans mid-February talks with regional chiefs to coordinate security priorities.