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United States·Armed Conflicts

US military kills one in latest strike on suspected drug vessel in Pacific[Updated]

Wednesday, 27 May 2026, 06:31 · 1 min read
Updates
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The US military conducted a third strike this week on Friday in the eastern Pacific, killing three men and pushing the overall death toll from the campaign past 200 — to at least 202 since operations began in early September. Friday's strike was notably accompanied by color video footage rather than the black-and-white imagery used in previous releases, showing the small vessel being engulfed in a fireball before parcels or other objects were seen scattered across the water's surface. The attack came on the same day Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the top US commander in Latin America who authorized the strike, met with Cuban military leaders near the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.

Sources
Original story

The US military struck another vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, killing one person and leaving two survivors, as its campaign targeting alleged drug-trafficking boats continues. US Southern Command, which released video of the boat exploding into flames, said it notified the Coast Guard to search for survivors, but has not provided evidence that any of the targeted vessels were actually carrying drugs. The strikes, which have killed at least 194 people since early September, face growing scrutiny — the Pentagon's inspector general has launched a self-initiated review of whether proper targeting procedures were followed, while some survivors claim they were fishermen who were forced onto the boats and later handed to Salvadoran authorities without charges.

Sources
NPR WorldEcuadorian survivors of suspected drone strike seek answers and restitution ↗︎The GuardianOne person killed in latest US military strike on alleged drug boat in Pacific ↗︎
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