Topline
The U.S. military struck a suspected drug boat Wednesday in the eastern Pacific Ocean, expanding its crackdown on so-called narco-terrorists outside of the Caribbean Sea for the first time since it began the strikes, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looks on as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Argentina’s President Javier Milei at the White House in Washington, DC, on October 14, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Key Facts
The strike, off the coast of Colombia, killed two on board, Hegseth announced Wednesday, writing on X, “the vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route, and carrying narcotics.”
Hegseth said, “just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” reiterating the administration’s justification for treating the strikes as a military, rather than criminal, matter.
Hegseth shared aerial footage of the attack, showing a small boat traveling through the water before bursting into flames—closely resembling videos President Donald Trump and Hegseth have used to announce previous attacks.
The attack is the eighth known strike on an alleged drug vessel since early September and the first outside the Caribbean.
The strikes have killed at least 34 people.
Chief Critics
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have raised concerns the strikes are unconstitutional and accused the Trump administration of failing to provide adequate evidence to justify the attacks. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., told CBS on Sunday Trump officials “had a very hard time explaining to us the rationale, the legal rationale for doing this and the constitutionality of doing it,” when they briefed members of Congress earlier this year. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told NBC on Sunday the strikes “go against all of our tradition,” adding, “all these people have been blown up without us knowing their name, without any evidence of a crime.”
Key Background
Previous strikes have predominately targeted alleged drug boats near the coast of Venezuela, but have killed some Colombian citizens, heightening tensions between the U.S. and the two countries. Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the U.S. of “murder” in previous drug boat attacks, alleging the U.S. “violated [its] sovereignty in territorial waters.” The Trump administration has justified the strikes by claiming drug smuggling amounts to an “armed attack” against U.S. citizens.
Tangent
Two survivors of an attack last week on a submersible vessel in the Caribbean were rescued by an American military helicopter, while two others on board were killed. Trump said the two who rescued were sent to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia “for detention and prosecution.”
Further Reading
U.S. Strikes Another Boat Off Venezuela, Killing 6 (Forbes)
Trump Announces Another Strike On Alleged Venezuelan Drug Trafficker, Killing 4 (Forbes)
U.S. Strikes Friday Killed Three Colombians, Hegseth Says—After Trump Calls Colombian President A ‘Drug Leader’ (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/10/22/us-military-attacks-another-suspected-drug-boat-this-time-in-pacific/
