U.S. Military Conducts 22nd Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel in Eastern Pacific

By Amanuel Janberu
Published on 12/05/25

The U.S. Southern Command reported executing another strike against a small vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, ending a nearly three-week pause in operations.

This was the 22nd such strike carried out by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific, targeting vessels alleged by the Trump administration to be involved in drug trafficking.

According to social media reports, four people were killed in Thursday’s strike, bringing the total death toll from the campaign to at least 87. A video released alongside the announcement shows a small boat moving across the water before being engulfed in a large explosion. The footage then pans out to reveal the vessel ablaze, emitting thick smoke.

The strike coincided with a series of confidential briefings at the U.S. Capitol involving Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, as lawmakers launched an inquiry into the military’s first strike, conducted on September 2. The sessions followed reports that Bradley ordered a subsequent attack resulting in the deaths of survivors to satisfy directives from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.