Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Feb 10: The United States on Monday said it carried out a strike on a vessel allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two persons and leaving one survivor. This marked the second such operation by the US in the region within the last four days.

According to the US Southern Command, intelligence inputs indicated that the vessel was travelling along known narco-trafficking routes and was actively engaged in illicit drug operations. “Two narco-terrorists were killed and one survived the strike,” the command said in a post on X, adding that the US Coast Guard was deployed for search-and-rescue operations following the incident.

The Coast Guard, however, did not immediately respond to requests for further details.

The US had largely scaled back such maritime strikes after the January 3 arrest and removal of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is currently lodged in a New York jail. Maduro has pleaded not guilty to charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy. However, the US resumed strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in late January.

The Trump administration has defended the renewed operations, stating that the strikes — which reportedly began in September and have resulted in at least 120 deaths — are necessary to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.

The actions have drawn criticism from regional leaders. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who met US President Donald Trump last week, has repeatedly condemned the strikes, likening them to war crimes. He has also pointed out that Colombian nationals have been injured or killed in earlier operations.

The latest incident is expected to further intensify debate over the legality and humanitarian implications of US anti-drug operations in international waters.