Hegseth says 2 ‘narco-terrorists’ killed in boat strike in Pacific

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that two “narco-terrorists” were killed in the U.S. military’s strike against an alleged drug boat in the Eastern Pacific. 

Hegseth said the vessel was operated by a designated terrorist organization and was smuggling narcotics along a “known narco-trafficking transit route.” It is unclear which terrorist group the boat was allegedly affiliated with. 

The strike, which was conducted late Tuesday, took place in international waters. No U.S. forces were injured in the mission, according to Hegseth. 

“Narco-terrorists intending to bring poison to our shores, will find no safe harbor anywhere in our hemisphere. Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” Hegseth wrote in a post on social platform X. “There will be no refuge or forgiveness—only justice.” 

The Defense secretary shared a 23-second video showing a boat streaking through the water seconds before being blown up. 

The U.S. military has conducted at least eight strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats since the operation began in early September. The latest strike represents the first against a vessel in the Pacific. 

In total, the U.S. military has killed at least 34 people as part of the campaign, with seven of the strikes taking place in the Caribbean Sea. 

Two individuals, one from Ecuador and one from Colombia, survived a U.S. military strike against an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean. Two others on board were killed, the administration said. 

The Trump administration repatriated two alleged drug traffickers to Ecuador and Colombia. 

The Ecuadorian national was freed after law authorities said he did not commit a crime. The Colombian resident is in the hospital with authorities saying that he will face prosecution.