By Ayomide Otitoju
The US military announced Wednesday that it killed four suspected drug traffickers in a strike in the Pacific Ocean, part of a controversial campaign that has left nearly 100 dead since September.
The US Southern Command said on social media that the military “conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organisation” engaged in “narco-trafficking operations.” The statement added that no US forces were harmed.
The campaign, which spans the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, has drawn criticism over its legality, as the Trump administration has not provided evidence that the targeted vessels were involved in drug trafficking. AFP data indicates the death toll from the operations now stands at 99.
The latest strike comes days after the Republican-led Senate passed a defence policy bill requiring more detailed reporting on the campaign. The legislation threatens to cut Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget by 25 percent unless unedited footage of the first strike, conducted on September 2, is provided to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
The September strike sparked controversy after a second attack killed survivors from an initial strike, prompting accusations of a possible war crime. Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the action before Congress, calling it a “highly successful mission” and promising committee access to the video this week, alongside Admiral Frank Bradley, who ordered the strike.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has deployed additional military forces off Venezuela’s coast and declared a blockade of “sanctioned oil vessels” to and from Caracas, increasing pressure on President Nicolas Maduro. Critics argue the campaign aims at regime change rather than targeting drug trafficking.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives rejected two Democratic resolutions seeking to halt the strikes and any hostilities against Venezuela without Congressional authorization, fueling debate over executive military powers.
