US Military Destroys Suspected Drug Boats in Pacific Ocean, Killing 5

The U.S. Southern Command said intelligence suggested the vessels were engaged in narco-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

An image of the suspected narco- traffickers' boat after it was hit by a kinetic strike fired by U.S. Southern Command in the Eastern Pacific on April 11, 2026. U.S. Southern Command

The U.S. military destroyed two drug-smuggling vessels and killed five traffickers in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said on April 12.

“On April 11, at the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted two lethal kinetic strikes on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” SOUTHCOM said in a post on X.