US Strikes on Boats in The Region Condemned as Unlawful by Human Rights Group

Human Rights Watch says the strikes are part of a 'sustained pattern of unlawful use of lethal force' outside armed conflict.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 1:24pm

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The United States human rights group, Human Rights Watch, has condemned the latest US military strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea that killed four people. The group says the strike is part of a pattern of unlawful use of lethal force by the US military outside of any armed conflict context, amounting to extrajudicial executions.

Why it matters

The US military has carried out a series of lethal strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans, resulting in the deaths of 163 people. Human Rights Watch says these strikes violate international law, as there is no armed conflict between the US and any drug-trafficking organization in the region, and the targeted individuals did not pose an imminent threat to life.

The details

The Miami-based US Southern Command (SouthCom) said on March 25 that the US military had killed four alleged 'narco-terrorists' in the Caribbean Sea during a 'lethal Kinetic Strike.' Human Rights Watch says the strike was the 47th in a series of lethal strikes by the US military in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans, resulting in a total of 163 people killed.

  • The latest strike occurred on March 25, 2026.
  • Since 2020, the US military has carried out a total of 47 lethal strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans.

The players

Human Rights Watch

A prominent international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

US Southern Command (SouthCom)

The US military command responsible for operations in Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Francis L Donovan

Marine General and Commander of US Southern Command.

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What they’re saying

“These strikes aren't one-off incidents, they're part of a pattern of using military force where the law does not permit it, over and over again.”

— Sarah Yager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch

“Outside of armed conflict, the deliberate, lethal use of force is only lawful when strictly necessary to protect life. Suspected criminals are not otherwise lawful targets for these deliberately lethal US strikes, and no information has been released to the public showing that any of the people targeted and killed posed an imminent threat to the life of any person.”

— Human Rights Watch

What’s next

Human Rights Watch has urged the Trump administration to immediately end the campaign of lethal strikes and ensure accountability for the unlawful killings, assess the harm caused to victims and their families, and provide redress.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing concerns over the US military's use of lethal force outside of armed conflict, which Human Rights Watch says violates international law. It raises questions about the legal justification for these strikes and the lack of transparency and accountability around the targeting and killing of individuals.