The US military announced that it had carried out another operation against a vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of two people, as Washington continues expanding maritime operations targeting alleged drug trafficking routes.

US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a statement shared on social media platform X that the vessel was believed to be involved in narcotics trafficking activities in the region. American officials claimed intelligence assessments linked the boat to suspected smuggling operations, though no public evidence was presented regarding those allegations.

According to US authorities, no American personnel were injured during the operation. Officials also released limited information regarding the identities of those killed or the precise location where the strike took place.

The latest incident is part of a series of operations conducted by the US military in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean regions under ongoing counter-narcotics missions. Such operations have increasingly drawn scrutiny from legal experts and human rights advocates, who argue that the use of lethal force against suspected traffickers without judicial process raises serious legal and ethical concerns.

The repeated targeting of vessels accused of links to drug trafficking networks has further fueled international debate over the scope of military involvement in anti-narcotics operations and the broader implications for international law in international waters. (ILKHA)