US kills 14 alleged drug traffickers in strikes on 4 boats in Eastern Pacific, Hegseth announces
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military killed 14 "narco-terrorists" in a series of strikes against four alleged drug vessels in the Eastern Pacific.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the U.S. military killed 14 alleged narco-terrorists in a series of strikes against four suspected drug vessels in the Eastern Pacific.
"All strikes were in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed," Hegseth added, noting that President Donald Trump ordered the strikes targeting "Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific."
"The four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics. Eight male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessels during the first strike," Hegseth said.
"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," he added.
"Regarding the survivor, USSOUTHCOM immediately initiated Search and Rescue (SAR) standard protocols; Mexican SAR authorities accepted the case and assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue," Hegseth also said.
"The Department has spent over TWO DECADES defending other homelands. Now, we’re defending our own. 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 declared.
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Officials say dozens of suspected drug traffickers have been killed since Sept. 2, when the Trump administration began targeting boats allegedly carrying drugs.
Many of the strikes have unfolded in the Caribbean.
Hegseth had announced on Friday that under direction from President Trump, the "Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea.
"Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters — and was the first strike at night," Hegseth said regarding that strike. "All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike."
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