US Military Operations Raise Ethical Concerns Amidst Drug Boat Strikes

Fri Jan 02 2026 11:18:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The recent US military strikes against alleged narcotics vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific have sparked complex ethical queries surrounding international conflict laws and accountability.

The US military reported five casualties from its latest military strike on boats suspected of drug trafficking. These operations have intensified over the past months, leading to over 110 deaths. Critics raise concerns about the legality and ethics of the actions as they navigate the blurred lines of legality in combat situations.

The US military says it struck two boats it alleges were carrying drugs on Wednesday, killing five people on board.

US Southern Command did not specify where it had carried out these strikes, but US forces have been targeting vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics through the Caribbean and eastern Pacific for the past three months.

This operation came just a day after the US targeted 'three narco-trafficking vessels travelling as a convoy,' which resulted in at least three casualties.

The Trump administration has categorized these operations as a non-international armed conflict against the alleged traffickers, but legal experts argue that this approach may contravene established conflict laws.

Since the onset of this campaign, more than 30 strikes on boats have been reported, resulting in over 110 fatalities since the first attack in international waters on September 2. Notably, that initial strike has been scrutinized due to reports that US forces executed a second strike on survivors clinging to the hull of their boat, raising questions about adherence to rules of engagement.

In the aftermath of the convoy strike on December 30, US Southern Command reported multiple survivors but did not disclose exact figures. Eight survivors are reportedly being sought, but their current status remains unclear, as no evidence has yet been presented linking the vessels to drug trafficking, despite claims from Southern Command regarding confirmed intelligence of narco-trafficking activities.