This grid of images shows 10 strikes carried out by the US military against boats alleged to be transporting drugs in international waters, from September 2 to October 29.
Share and Follow

The Pentagon has executed its 20th operation targeting a suspected drug trafficking vessel this week, according to a statement from a Defense Department official.

“The strike took place in the Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of four individuals involved in narco-terrorism, with no survivors,” the official confirmed to CNN on Thursday.

Officials from the Trump administration have admitted that they do not always know the identities of the individuals aboard these vessels before initiating an attack.

This grid of images shows 10 strikes carried out by the US military against boats alleged to be transporting drugs in international waters, from September 2 to October 29.
This grid of images shows 10 strikes carried out by the US military against boats alleged to be transporting drugs in international waters, from September 2 to October 29. (Pete Hegseth/X/Donald Trump/Truth Social)

The latest strike occurred on Monday, as reported by the official. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously disclosed two additional strikes on Sunday, which marked the 18th and 19th such operations by the U.S. military. Each of those targeted vessels carried three individuals.

Hegseth shared on the social media platform X the following day that all six people from those Sunday strikes were killed. CBS News was the first to report on the 20th strike.

The attack brings the total number of people killed by the US military’s strikes on the alleged drug boats to 80.

CNN has reported that the military is using a variety of fighter jets, drones, and gunships to carry out the strikes in the campaign officials say is meant to disrupt the flow of drugs into the US.

The Justice Department has told Congress the administration does not need its approval to carry out the strikes, which some experts have said could violate US and international law.

The ongoing campaign has also begun to surface tensions with allies; the United Kingdom has stopped sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels to avoid being complicit in the strikes, CNN reported this week, which the UK believes are illegal.

The president of Colombia also said this week that he had ordered his country to suspend intelligence sharing with the US until the attacks stop.

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.
Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Aussie cricket great calls for one of the game's oldest traditions to be SCRAPPED after Boxing Day Test disaster

Aussie Cricket Legend Urges End to Historic Tradition After Boxing Day Test Debacle

Ex-Australian cricketer and coach Darren Lehmann has suggested eliminating the traditional coin…
Energy bills

Discover How Australians Can Easily Save Hundreds with This Simple Tip

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is cautioning consumers that failing…
A man has been charged over Nazi tattoos he displayed at a beach in Newcastle.

Father Faces Charges for Allegedly Displaying Nazi Tattoos at Newcastle Beach

A 36-year-old man is set to appear in court next month following…

Myanmar’s First Elections Since 2021 Coup See Surprisingly Low Voter Turnout

Under the shadow of civil war and questions over the poll’s credibility,…

Cyclone Alfred Ranks Among 2025’s Most Expensive Climate Disasters: Impacts and Recovery Efforts

Australia’s destructive ex-tropical cyclone Alfred has been ranked among the world’s most…
The strike comes as Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump prepare to meet again.

Zelenskyy and Trump Set for Florida Summit Following Extensive Peace Negotiations

American diplomats have been tirelessly working to craft a peace proposal that…
A monsoon trough could bring up to 600mm of rainfall and storms across large parts of Queensland. 

Queensland Braces for Intense Rainfall: Up to 600mm Expected in Coming Days

A powerful monsoon trough is predicted to unleash as much as 600mm…
Prime Minister rejects royal commission plea from Bondi shooting victims' families

Prime Minister Denies Bondi Shooting Victims’ Families’ Request for Royal Commission

In a poignant letter, 11 out of the 15 families affected by…