live U.S. and Iran trade threats as World focus' on reopening Strait of Hormuz - Middle East conflict on 3 April
Iran has rejected claims it has been weakened, vowing instead “more crushing” attacks against the United States and ...
The U.S. military carried out a strike on a vessel suspected of narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific on Friday, killing two people and leaving one survivor, U.S. Southern Command said.
In a statement, U.S. Southern Command said the operation was conducted at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear.
According to the command, intelligence confirmed the vessel was travelling along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was actively engaged in illicit drug-trafficking operations.
Southern Command described those killed as “narco-terrorists” and said one individual survived the strike. Following the engagement, the command said it immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate search and rescue procedures for the survivor.
No further details were released regarding the vessel’s origin, destination or the identities of those on board.
U.S. forces have carried out multiple operations targeting suspected narco-trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean in recent years, as part of a long-running counter-narcotics campaign led by U.S. Southern Command.
Most missions involve interdictions, seizures and arrests conducted alongside the U.S. Coast Guard and regional partners. However, lethal force has been authorised in a limited number of cases involving vessels linked to armed narco-terror networks or those that failed to comply with orders. U.S. officials say such operations are intended to disrupt major drug routes supplying North America and curb the influence of transnational criminal organisations.
Fears of wider escalation grow despite President Donald Trump saying U.S. strikes on Iran could end within weeks. Meanwhile missile attacks, tanker incidents and rising casualties across Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf heighten risks to regional stability and energy routes.
There are fears of an oil spill after a drone strike hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker near Dubai on Tuesday, while U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly killed at least two people. A loud explosion was heard in Beirut in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.
Russian-flagged tanker carrying approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil docked at Cuba's Matanzas oil terminal on Tuesday, shipping data confirmed, marking a vital and controversial delivery to an island paralysed by severe energy shortages and a suffocating U.S. blockade.
Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on NASA's Artemis II mission, a high-stakes voyage around the moon that marks the United States' boldest step yet toward returning humans to the lunar surface later this decade in a race with China.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia's Northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging some buildings and triggering tsunami waves, authorities and witnesses said.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 3 April, covering the latest developments you need to know
The 2026 World Cup final is setting new records for sports ticketing costs, characterised by unprecedented price hikes and the debut of controversial sales models.
In a dramatic shake-up at the top of the U.S. Justice Department, President Donald Trump has removed Attorney General Pam Bondi from her post, a White House official confirmed on Thursday.
American President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to pull the United States out of NATO after European nations refused to join a U.S.-led naval mission to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
France has unveiled a delayed wave of renewable energy tenders to boost energy independence and strengthen domestic and European industry.
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