Two Killed as US Strikes Drug Boat

The US military conducted a lethal strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific, killing two people. SOUTHCOM said the vessel was low-profile and traveling along established narco-trafficking routes, marking the first such operation in more than two months after a pause in the Southern Spear campaign. Before the pause, authorities had reported destroying at least 67 vessels and killing about 221 people since the campaign began in September 2025. Officials frame the strikes as a measure to disrupt drug cartels and protect the United States, describing them as part of a broader effort to dismantle narco-terrorist networks. Critics and rights groups have raised concerns about potential extrajudicial killings, legality, and civilian harm linked to the program. The operation continues to be discussed in the context of the Southern Spear campaign and ongoing political and legal debate over its effectiveness and conduct.