Khaberni - The US Southern Command announced today, Tuesday, that it has launched 3 airstrikes on ships in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of 11 men.
The Southern Command stated in a post on X: "We conducted yesterday, Monday, 3 lethal strikes on 3 boats belonging to terrorist organizations, resulting in the deaths of 4 people in the first strike, while 4 others were killed in the second strike and 3 in the last strike."
The post included a video clip showing the attacks on 3 boats, two of which were stationary at the time of the attack, while the third was sailing at speed. It was possible to see people moving before the strikes.
It added that "intelligence information confirmed that the ships were passing through known drug trafficking routes and were involved in smuggling operations."
The United States began targeting boats suspected of involvement in smuggling in early September, resulting in the deaths of more than 140 people and the destruction of dozens of boats so far.
The administration of President Donald Trump insists that it is at war with those it calls "drug terrorists" active in Latin America. However, it has not provided conclusive evidence that the targeted boats are involved in drug smuggling, which has sparked sharp debate over the legality of the strikes.
Legal experts and human rights organizations say the strikes could amount to extrajudicial killings, as they are believed to have included civilians who do not pose a direct threat to the United States.
