The United States military carried out strikes on four boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, resulting in the deaths of 14 individuals and leaving one survivor, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
This marked the first instance of multiple strikes conducted on the same day as part of the Trump administration's intensifying campaign against vessels suspected of drug trafficking.
The operations, which targeted boats operated by designated terrorist organizations along known narco-trafficking routes, brought the total number of strikes since early September to 13.
To date, these actions have destroyed 14 boats and resulted in 57 fatalities, with three survivors reported overall.
Mexican authorities have taken responsibility for coordinating the search and rescue of the Monday survivor, whose condition and whereabouts remain unclear.
The strikes included three separate actions, one of which hit two boats simultaneously, all occurring in international waters with no harm to U.S. forces.
Hegseth detailed that the vessels were carrying narcotics, with eight males aboard the first targeted boats, four on the second, and three on the third.
Videos accompanying his statement on X showed the vessels catching fire after being struck by U.S. munitions.
This Pacific operation represents a shift from prior strikes, which were primarily in the Caribbean Sea, including one earlier this month that left two survivors from Ecuador and Colombia who were repatriated shortly after detention.
The expansion has raised significant concerns regarding legal authority, as the administration relies on a classified opinion treating drug traffickers as enemy combatants subject to lethal action without judicial review.
President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico confirmed her government was informed of the strikes and instructed Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente to engage with U.S. Ambassador Ron Johnson on the matter.
The series of strikes has extended to a critical drug-trafficking corridor in the Pacific, with at least four operations there compared to the rest in the Caribbean.
President Donald Trump has asserted his legal authority for these actions in international waters and indicated readiness to target land-based sites if the campaign escalates further.
However, this has strained relations with regional governments, including Colombia and Venezuela, where officials have condemned the operations as disproportionate and violative of international law.
Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo described the strikes as lacking due process, noting that those aboard had no means of defense.
U.S. sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro for inadequate anti-trafficking measures, alongside accusations against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a drug organization — which he denies — have heightened tensions.
In the Caribbean, the U.S. has bolstered its presence with troops, aircraft, naval vessels, and the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford.
Members of Congress from both parties have questioned the president's unilateral authority, while international law experts have challenged the legality of summarily targeting suspects.
Hegseth emphasized the shift in focus, stating the Defense Department has spent over two decades defending other nations and is now prioritizing U.S. homeland security.
As the campaign accelerates, it underscores a aggressive approach to curbing narcotics flows, though at the cost of diplomatic friction and legal debate.