US Military Strikes Alleged Drug Boat in Caribbean, Killing 3

The latest attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration's strikes on alleged drug boats to 133 people in at least 38 attacks since September.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The U.S. military carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people. This latest attack is part of the Trump administration's escalation of strikes against alleged drug boats in the region since early September.

Why it matters

The U.S. government has justified these strikes as necessary to stem the flow of drugs, but has provided little evidence to support claims of killing "narcoterrorists." The high death toll from these attacks has raised concerns about the legality and ethics of the military's actions.

The details

U.S. Southern Command said the boat "was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean 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 latest strike occurred on February 14, 2026.
  • Since early September, the Trump administration has carried out at least 38 attacks on alleged drug boats, killing 133 people.

The players

U.S. Southern Command

The unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for military operations in Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Pete Hegseth

U.S. Defense Secretary who claimed that some top cartel drug-traffickers have decided to cease all narcotics operations indefinitely due to the recent strikes, though he provided no evidence to support this claim.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs, but has offered little evidence to support the claims of killing "narcoterrorists."

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The takeaway

The high death toll from these U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean has raised serious concerns about the legality and ethics of these actions, as the Trump administration has provided little evidence to support its claims of targeting "narcoterrorists" and disrupting the drug trade.