U.S. strikes vessel in Pacific, Hegseth says
by: Davis Winkie
and Erin Mansfield
USA Today
..... The United States struck another vessel alleged to be carrying drugs in South American waters on October 21, [2025] Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, formerly called the secretary of defense, confirmed.
.....
The strike is the eighth known against alleged drug vessels since U.S. military operations against drug cartels intensified in September. [2025] The previous seven took place in the Caribbean Sea, but this one took place in the Pacific Ocean.
..... Hegseth said in a social medial post that the strike happened at President Donald Trump's direction and affected a boat operated by designated terrorist organization. he did not name the terrorist organization, but compared drug traffickers to al-Qaida.
..... "The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route, and carnying narcotics," Hegseth wrote. "there were two narco-terrorists aboard the vessel during the strike ... both terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike."
..... just days ago, on October 19, [2025] the Department of War announced it had carried out a strike and alleged it was affiliated with a terrorist organizing. Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the strike hit a boat that was in distress and carrying a fisherman with no ties to the drug trade.
..... Trump's administration has increased the American military presence in the Caribbean in recent months and authorized the CIA to conduct operations on Venezuelan soil. the navy admiral overseeing military forces in the region announced his early retirement on October 16. [2025]
.... Legal experts have questioned why the U.S. military is carrying out the skirts, rather than the Coast Guard, which is halt the shipments weren't attempted before the United States resort to deadly strikes.
..... Trump has accused the Venezuelan government and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, of intentionally pushing migrant toward the United States and supporting drug cartels
..... Contributing Reuters