The U.S. Armed Forces have reported conducting strikes against three ships accused of drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals.
The U.S. Southern Command shared footage of the strikes on social media, stating that the vessels “were moving along known drug trafficking routes… and were involved in narcotics activities.”
Over 20 ships in the Pacific and Caribbean have been targeted in recent months, causing at least 90 fatalities, as part of President Donald Trump’s intensified campaign against gangs accused of transporting drugs in the region, reports BBC.
Some experts argue that these strikes may violate laws governing armed conflicts. The first U.S. strike on September 2 attracted particular attention because it involved not one, but two attacks, in which survivors of the first strike were killed in the second.
Legal experts told BBC Verify that the second strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug ship by the U.S. military may have been unlawful and could be considered an extrajudicial execution under international law.
Previously, a former prosecutor at the International Criminal Court told BBC that the U.S. military campaign could broadly be categorized as a planned and systematic attack against civilians during peacetime.
In response, the White House stated that its actions complied with the laws of armed conflict to protect the U.S. from cartels “attempting to bring poison to our shores… destroying the lives of Americans.”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is expected to brief members of both congressional chambers on Tuesday, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to Politico, officials are expected to show video of the controversial “double strike” to all members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees later this week. Hegseth has been under pressure to release the footage.
