US Military Strikes in International Waters Spark Controversy, Congressional Inquiry
The United States Southern Command confirmed Monday night it conducted strikes against three vessels in international waters, resulting in eight fatalities. The bombings, targeting suspected drug smuggling boats, occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean near Colombia, just hours before Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were scheduled to meet with US lawmakers demanding greater transparency regarding the Trump administration’s military campaign against drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.
The escalating situation has ignited a firestorm of debate over the legality and morality of the operations, with accusations ranging from extrajudicial killings to potential war crimes.
Expanding Military Campaign & Rising Death Toll
According to a statement released by the military, intelligence services confirmed the vessels were traveling along known drug trafficking routes and engaged in narcotics trafficking. “A total of eight ‘narco-terrorists’ were neutralized during these actions: three on the first vessel, two on the second, and three on the third,” the statement read, accompanied by video footage of the Monday operation posted on the social media platform X.
This latest action brings the total number of vessels bombed by the US in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea to at least 26. The military maintains a substantial presence in the region, including thousands of troops and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford. At least 90 individuals have been killed in these international water strikes.
Legal and Ethical Concerns Mount
The Trump administration has defended the legality of the bombings, but legal experts argue they constitute illegal extrajudicial executions. The controversy has reached Congress, where Admiral Frank Bradley, in charge of Caribbean operations, faced questioning after Secretary Hegseth was accused of ordering a follow-up attack on two survivors aboard a suspected narcolancha.
Bradley denied issuing such an order, but failed to quell congressional concerns, particularly among Democrats, who continue to demand further explanation. Lawmakers have been requesting the Pentagon release video footage from a September 2nd attack – the first of its kind – believing it could demonstrate the US committed a war crime by killing survivors. Support for the video’s release extends across party lines.
Pentagon Withholds Key Video Evidence
However, the Secretary of Defense clarified Tuesday that there are no plans to release the footage to the public. “Of course, we are not going to disclose to the general public a completely confidential and unedited video,” he stated to the press at the Capitol following a closed-door meeting with legislators. He assured lawmakers that the recording would be presented to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees – which oversee the Pentagon – on Wednesday.
President Trump initially indicated he would have no objection to releasing the video, but later deferred the decision to Secretary Hegseth.
Venezuela and Colombia in the Crosshairs
Washington maintains its military deployment near Venezuela aims to combat drug trafficking and ensure national security. However, both the Venezuelan government and legislators in Washington believe the true objective is to force the removal of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump has repeatedly threatened a “second phase” involving ground attacks against Venezuela, targeting Maduro, whom he accuses of leading the “Cartel of the Suns,” an organization designated as a terrorist group by the State Department, enabling further sanctions.
Despite the pressure, Trump has not yet authorized an intervention in Venezuelan territory. He stated Friday that the next phase of the US military campaign would focus on specific individuals rather than an entire country: “These are not just attacks against Venezuela. They are ground attacks against horrible people who are putting drugs into our country and killing our people.”
The operation revealed Monday took place near Colombia, and Trump has also accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of being a “leader of drug trafficking,” stating last week that Petro was “next” in line regarding the pressure campaign against Maduro.
