U.S. Military Kills 6 in Strike on Alleged Drug Boat in Eastern Pacific

Sunday's attack brought the death toll to at least 157 people since the Trump administration began targeting alleged traffickers.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The U.S. military said it killed six men Sunday in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of the Trump administration's campaign against alleged traffickers. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs, and critics have questioned the overall legality and effectiveness of the boat strikes.

Why it matters

The Trump administration has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States, but has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists." The boat strikes have also drawn intense criticism following the revelation that the military killed survivors of the very first boat attack with a follow-up strike.

The details

As with most of the military's statements on the more than 40 known strikes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military posted a video on X that showed a small boat being blown up as it floated on the water.

  • The Trump administration began targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels in early September.
  • Sunday's attack brought the death toll to at least 157 people since the Trump administration began the campaign.

The players

U.S. Southern Command

The U.S. military command that oversees operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

President Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who justified the boat strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.

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What they’re saying

“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 into the United States.”

— President Donald Trump (NPR)

“The killings were murder, if not a war crime.”

— Democratic lawmakers and legal experts (NPR)

The takeaway

The U.S. military's campaign of targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea has drawn intense criticism over the legality and effectiveness of the strikes, as well as concerns about the lack of evidence supporting the administration's claims of killing "narcoterrorists."