The U.S. military bombed another vessel Tuesday night as part of its crackdown on drug trafficking. What's unusual this time is that the attack took place in the Pacific Ocean, in international waters off the coast of Colombia, CBS News reported.
According to the outlet, which cites a conversation with a US official, the attack reportedly left between two and three dead.
“Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike against a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization engaged in narcotics trafficking in the Eastern Pacific,” US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed minutes later on his X account.
Since September 2, when President Donald Trump greenlit the anti-drug offensive, U.S. Special Operations Forces have carried out eight attacks against suspected drug trafficking vessels, all in the Caribbean. These operations have left 32 people dead, according to preliminary figures.
“Our intelligence had information that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting a known narcotics trafficking route, and was transporting narcotics. During the attack, which took place in international waters, two narco-terrorists were on board. Both terrorists were killed, and no U.S. forces were injured,” Hegseth added.
The official justified the attack by comparing those traveling on the boats to members of Al Qaeda. However, as has occurred in the other seven operations, he did not present evidence demonstrating the involvement of the occupants in drug trafficking activities.
The White House also maintains that the bombings are justified under the principle of self-defense. In that sense, Trump argues that the United States is waging a formal armed conflict against drug cartels.
“Narco-terrorists seeking to bring poison to our shores will find no refuge anywhere in our hemisphere. Just as al-Qaeda waged war against our homeland, these cartels are waging war against our border and our people. There will be no refuge, no forgiveness, only justice,” the U.S. Secretary of War concluded.
Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and conducting narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 22, 2025
The vessel was known by our intelligence to be…
It's worth mentioning that these bombings have been criticized by the Colombian government, which has expressed concern about the lack of official information and the risk of violating international standards in waters near its territory.
The White House's announcement of the Pacific attack could further increase tensions between Washington and the government of Gustavo Petro, just as both countries are trying to overcome the recent diplomatic impasse, amid threats from Donald Trump to impose new tariffs on Colombia.
It should not be forgotten that, over the weekend, the US president accused Gustavo Petro of being a"drug trafficking leader," without presenting evidence to support his claim. Furthermore, Republican Senator Bernie Moreno is pushing a proposal to include the Colombian president and several of his associates on the so-called Clinton list.
The U.S. offensive currently includes more than 10,000 troops deployed in the Caribbean, 2,200 marines aboard amphibious assault ships, and eight warships and a submarine patrolling the region.
