The Pentagon has released video showing U.S. military strikes on three vessels in the eastern Pacific that Washington says were involved in narcotics trafficking, operations that U.S. Southern Command said killed eight people on Monday (15 December).
"Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking," the military said in a post on X.
According to the U.S. military, intelligence assessments concluded that the vessels were travelling along established narcotics trafficking routes and were actively engaged in drug smuggling. The military said the operation resulted in the deaths of eight men.
The strikes form part of a wider U.S. campaign against maritime drug trafficking launched under President Donald Trump. U.S. officials say more than 20 vessels have been targeted across the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, including areas near Venezuela.
U.S. authorities estimate that at least 90 suspected drug smugglers have been killed since the campaign began. Washington argues the operations are lawful and aimed at disrupting transnational criminal networks that move drugs by sea toward North America.
The use of military force against suspected drug trafficking vessels represents a significant shift from previous U.S. approaches, which have typically relied on law enforcement interdictions and arrests.
Some legal experts have questioned the strikes, arguing that they could constitute unlawful extrajudicial killings under international law, a claim the Trump administration has rejected.
As geopolitical alignments across Eurasia continue to evolve, U.S. engagement in the South Caucasus is once again drawing attention, particularly in r...
Baku Energy Week 2026 has drawn to a close after three days of high-level discussions, negotiations and business engagement in Baku, bringing together...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4 June, covering the latest developments you need to know....
U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “crazy” during a phone exchange over fighting in Lebano...
Three people have been killed and seven injured in Ukrainian strikes on Russia-annexed Crimea, according to Kremlin officials in the peninsula, as fi...
As geopolitical alignments across Eurasia continue to evolve, U.S. engagement in the South Caucasus is once again drawing attention, particularly in relation to Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the broader regional peace process.
A Kenyan court on Tuesday blocked the construction and planned operation of a U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility for an additional 3 weeks, escalating a legal and political dispute that has sparked deadly protests and public anger.
Singer Sabrina Carpenter has been granted a temporary restraining order against a man accused of stalking her and attempting to force entry into her California home, according to court documents.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they struck a cargo ship owned by the “American-Zionist enemy” with a cruise missile after an Iranian freighter was attacked in the Sea of Oman.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Police officers were pelted with missiles during violent clashes at a protest near the Southampton, UK, home of convicted murderer Vickrum Digwa, as anger continued to grow over the handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Three people have been killed and seven injured in Ukrainian strikes on Russia-annexed Crimea, according to Kremlin officials in the peninsula, as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues.
Mass protests by teachers and retired judges, road closures and last-minute construction work caused chaos in Mexico's capital just eight days before the first World Cup match kicks off on 11 June.
China and Britain sat down for a major round of talks in Beijing on Tuesday and walked away with a clear message that the two countries want a better, closer relationship and that they are actively working to build one.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for an "exponential" expansion of the country's atomic arsenal during a visit to a newly operational nuclear material production factory, state media agency KCNA said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment