Post by : Bianca
Haleem
Washington, Feb 14, 2026 — The U.S. military carried out a deadly strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea, killing three suspected drug traffickers, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said on Friday, Feb. 13. The vessel was struck as it was moving along routes the U.S. military says are commonly used for drug smuggling.
According to SOUTHCOM, intelligence showed the boat was engaged in narcotics trafficking activities. A video posted by the command on social media shows the vessel burning after the strike. SOUTHCOM also said no U.S. military personnel were harmed in the action.
This latest attack increases the death toll in the Trump administration’s anti-narcotics maritime campaign to at least 133 people across 38 confirmed strikes since early September 2025 in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.
The campaign, described by U.S. officials as a fight against “narco-terrorists,” has targeted suspected smuggling boats without releasing detailed evidence of drug trafficking or providing identities of those killed. Critics have raised questions about the legality and transparency of these strikes.
This action also comes after the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces, an operation that occurred about six weeks ago. Maduro, accused by the United States of drug and weapons crimes, has pleaded not guilty in U.S. courts.
Authorities have not disclosed further details about the nationality of those killed or the specific drugs believed to be involved in this strike. SOUTHCOM’s statement did not detail evidence beyond the vessel’s movements along known smuggling routes.
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