U.S. destroys alleged drug-smuggling boat in Pacific, killing 2 people
Since then, more than 200 people have been killed in U.S. strikes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Updated on: August 24, 2026 / 6:26 AM EDT / CBS/AFP
The United States military said Monday it carried out a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Pacific Ocean, killing two people.
US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a post on X that the strike, which took place Sunday, targeted a vessel "operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific."
"Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel's active involvement in narco-trafficking," it added.
"This operation is a clear and decisive reminder that SOUTHCOM is taking the fight directly to the cartels," SOUTHCOM said.
Grainy black-and-white video footage accompanying the post showed a boat moving through the water before a large explosion. The military did not identify the style of boat but it appears to be a long semi-submersible vessel, sometimes called a "narco sub."