US Military Strikes Another Alleged Drug-Trafficking Boat in Eastern Pacific

Second known attack since the raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last month

Feb. 5, 2026 at 11:07pm

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The U.S. military has carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The strike killed two people, according to U.S. Southern Command. This latest attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration's strikes on alleged drug boats to 128 people since early September.

Why it matters

The U.S. has escalated its efforts to stem the flow of drugs from Latin America, with the military carrying out a series of strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking. However, the administration has faced criticism for lacking evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists."

The details

In the latest strike, the U.S. military said the boat "was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations." A video linked to the post shows the boat moving through the water before exploding in flames.

  • The strike was announced on February 6, 2026.
  • It is the second known attack since the raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last month.

The players

U.S. Southern Command

The U.S. military's regional command responsible for operations in Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Pete Hegseth

U.S. Defense Secretary who claimed that some top cartel drug-traffickers have decided to cease all narcotics operations indefinitely due to recent strikes in the Caribbean.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. President who said the U.S. is in 'armed conflict' with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs.

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What they’re saying

“The boat 'was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.'”

— U.S. Southern Command (kcra.com)

“Some top cartel drug-traffickers" in the region "have decided to cease all narcotics operations INDEFINITELY due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean.”

— Pete Hegseth, U.S. Defense Secretary (Personal social media account)

What’s next

The U.S. military and administration have not provided additional details or evidence to support the claims made about the strikes or their impact on drug trafficking operations.

The takeaway

The escalating U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the region have raised concerns about the lack of transparency and evidence to justify the attacks, which have resulted in numerous civilian casualties.