US Military Drug Boat Strikes 2026: 5 More Killed as Legal Scrutiny Intensifies
The US military killed 5 people in the latest strike on alleged drug boats on Jan 1, 2026. With over 110 deaths since September, the Trump administration's operations face increasing legal scrutiny.
The death toll has surpassed 110. US Southern Command announced it struck two boats suspected of smuggling narcotics on Wednesday, killing five people on board. These strikes are part of the Trump administration's aggressive 'war on drugs' that has been targeting vessels in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific for the past three months.
US Military Drug Boat Strikes 2026: Rising Toll and Legal Conflicts
According to Reuters, Wednesday's operation followed a major strike on December 30 that targeted a three-vessel convoy. Since the first attack on September 2, the US military has conducted over 30 strikes in international waters. While Southern Command insists intelligence confirms these boats were on known trafficking routes, critics point out that no physical evidence of narcotics has been publicly presented yet.
Legal experts are raising alarms, suggesting these operations might violate the laws governing non-international armed conflict. The controversy is centered on a 'double-tap' strike where survivors clinging to a hull were reportedly killed in a second hit. Lawmakers in Washington have expressed concern that these actions breach standard rules of engagement.
Search for Survivors and Diplomatic Fallout
A US official told Reuters that they're currently searching for eight survivors who jumped overboard during the most recent engagement. The US Coast Guard is involved in the search. This escalation comes as President Trump highlighted a strike on a 'big facility' allegedly linked to Venezuelan drug cartels, further straining relations in the region.
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