Washington — The U.S. military on Monday struck four more vessels that were allegedly trafficking narcotics in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing 14 and leaving one survivor, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on X.
The four vessels were hit in three different strikes, Hegseth said. The strikes bring the total death toll in President Trump’s campaign against alleged traffickers in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific to more than 50.
“The four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics,” Hegseth wrote. “Eight male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessels during the first strike. Four male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the second strike. Three male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the third strike. A total of 14 narco-terrorists were killed during the three strikes, with one survivor. All strikes were in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed.”
He added: “These narco-terrorists have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them.”
Hegseth said U.S. military personnel immediately began search and rescue operations for the survivor, and Mexican authorities assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue. It’s not clear what happened to the survivor from there.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed at a Tuesday morning news conference that the strike was in international waters and the Mexican Navy rescued one person.
In a statement, the Mexican Navy confirmed it was “conducting a maritime search and rescue operation 400 miles southwest of Acapulco” at the request of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Mr. Trump, currently on a multiday trip in Asia, has said his administration will provide information about the strikes to Congress, but he won’t seek a declaration of war.
“I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. OK? We’re going to kill them. You know? They’re going to be like, dead,” he said last week.
Mr. Trump also said land strikes in Venezuela could come next, amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, has called the military airstrikes on the boats “extrajudicial killings.” Paul told “Fox News Sunday” this week that Congress has received “no information” on the strike campaign from the administration.
