US military says 11 killed in strikeson alleged drug smuggling boats
Feb 18, 2026
Washington DC [US], February 18: The US military said on Tuesday it had attacked three boats carrying alleged drug smugglers in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean within a short span of time, killing 11 people.
The boats were travelling along "known nacro-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations," US Southern Command wrote on X.
The strikes took place late Monday.
Four men were killed on the first vessel in the eastern Pacific, four on the second in the same region and three on the boat in the Caribbean. President Donald Trump's administration has targeted boats in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific since September, saying the operations are aimed at curbing international drug trafficking.
Critics question whether the deadly attacks in international waters are permissible under international law.
Source: Qatar Tribune
