U.S. Military Carries Out 30th Strike On Alleged Drug Boat In Eastern Pacific, 2 Dead

The U.S. military has carried out its 30th strike on a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people, according to U.S. Southern Command.

Figures released by the Trump administration show that the total number of known boat strikes has now reached 30, with at least 107 people killed since early September.

The military said the vessel involved in the latest strike was engaged in narco-trafficking, but no evidence was provided to support the claim.

A video shared by U.S. Southern Command on social media shows a boat moving across open water before it is hit by two explosions. No further information was released about the boat or those onboard.

U.S. President Donald Trump has defended the strikes, saying they are meant to stop drugs from entering the United States. He has also said that the U.S. is in an armed conflict with drug cartels.

On Dec. 29, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/69ywxXk30N

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 29, 2025

The strike campaign is taking place alongside a build-up of U.S. military forces in the region, which has increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been charged with narcoterrorism in the United States.

Speaking to reporters in Florida on Monday, Trump referred to reports of an explosion in Venezuela. He said U.S. forces had struck a dock area along the coast where boats accused of carrying drugs are allegedly loaded. The White House and the Pentagon have not provided any further details.

In December, the Trump administration also seized two oil tankers under U.S. sanctions off the coast of Venezuela and pursued a third. After this, some sanctioned tankers reportedly changed course and moved away from Venezuela.

President Maduro has rejected the U.S. claims, saying the operations are meant to remove him from power. Trump has also suggested in recent months that the U.S. could carry out land strikes in Venezuela or another country.

The boat strike campaign has faced criticism from U.S. lawmakers, especially after reports showed that the first strike in early September included a second attack. That follow-up strike killed two people who survived the first blast and were clinging to the wreckage.

References: The Hindu, Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News