The U.S. military conducted another strike against a suspected drug smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Sunday, killing two people and leaving six survivors, the Defense Department said.

The attack is the latest in an intensified campaign against alleged narcotics traffickers in Latin America that has now exceeded 60 strikes. Since the Trump administration began targeting what it calls "narcoterrorists" in early September, more than 210 people have been killed in such boat interdictions.

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) stated that the vessel was targeted along known smuggling routes. However, the military has not released evidence confirming that the boat was carrying drugs. It remains unclear whether the six survivors from Sunday’s strike — or the two survivors from a June 16 attack — were rescued. In both incidents, SOUTHCOM said it notified the U.S. Coast Guard. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions seeking additional details.

A black-and-white video circulated on X (formerly Twitter) appears to show the incident, with a boat speeding across the water before being struck by a projectile and erupting in flames.

President Trump has described the operations as part of an "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America. His administration has justified the strikes as a necessary escalation to disrupt the flow of drugs into the United States and reduce fatal overdoses among Americans.

Critics have raised concerns about the legality and effectiveness of the campaign. They note that much of the fentanyl responsible for U.S. overdose deaths is typically smuggled over land across the U.S.-Mexico border, often produced in Mexico using precursor chemicals from China and India.

The strikes have continued despite the ongoing debate over their strategic value and the limited public evidence presented linking individual vessels to cartel operations or specific drug shipments.

The Defense Department has maintained that the actions are conducted in accordance with U.S. law and international norms to combat transnational criminal organizations. (ILKHA)