US Military Strikes Another Alleged Drug Boat in Caribbean, Killing 3

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

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The U.S. military says it has carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the Caribbean Sea. The boat was 'transiting along known narco-trafficking routes' and was 'engaged in narco-trafficking operations,' according to U.S. Southern Command. The strike killed three people.

Why it matters

The Trump administration has escalated military strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, claiming it is necessary to stem the flow of drugs. However, the administration has provided little evidence to support its claims of killing 'narcoterrorists,' raising concerns about the legality and transparency of these operations.

The details

Friday's attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration's strikes on alleged drug boats to 133 people in at least 38 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that 'some top cartel drug-traffickers' have 'decided to cease all narcotics operations INDEFINITELY due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean,' but provided no details or evidence to back up this claim.

  • The U.S. military carried out the latest strike on February 14, 2026.

The players

U.S. Southern Command

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

Pete Hegseth

The U.S. Defense Secretary who claimed that some drug traffickers have ceased operations due to the military strikes.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. President who justified the military strikes as necessary to stem the flow of drugs, despite a lack of evidence.

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What they’re saying

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

— U.S. Southern Command (Associated Press)

“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 (Pete Hegseth's personal social media account)

The takeaway

The Trump administration's escalation of military strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean has raised concerns about the legality and transparency of these operations, as the administration has provided little evidence to support its claims of targeting 'narcoterrorists' and disrupting drug trafficking.