The United States carried out another strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific on Saturday, killing three people on board, the Pentagon said on Sunday. US Southern Command said the vessel moved along a known narcotics route and carried illegal cargo, describing the action as part of ongoing counter-narcotics operations. The announcement came as the US Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean Sea, drawing attention to Washington’s posture in the region. In parallel, President Donald Trump signalled the United States may open talks with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, suggesting a possible diplomatic turn even as maritime operations continue. The combination of a lethal interdiction at sea, a high-profile naval deployment, and a hint of dialogue with Caracas sets the stage for a complex week in US policy across the Americas.
The Pentagon said the strike took place on Saturday in the eastern Pacific. It disclosed the operation on Sunday, while US Southern Command shared details on social media. The carrier’s arrival in the Caribbean occurred around the same period, as noted by officials and public reports.
Pentagon cites narcotics smuggling and a known route
US Southern Command framed the vessel as part of an established trafficking pipeline that links producers, transit zones and distribution hubs across the hemisphere. “Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,” the command said in a public post. The Pentagon said the attack killed three people aboard the boat.
Officials positioned the strike as consistent with US counter-narcotics policy, which targets maritime networks that move bulk quantities of drugs through remote sea lanes. The eastern Pacific has long ranked as a key corridor for cocaine shipments bound for Central America and Mexico, before overland routes carry loads north. Authorities often rely on surveillance aircraft, naval assets and partner cooperation to find and intercept suspected vessels.
A contested corridor in the eastern Pacific
The eastern Pacific hosts a complex mix of coastal waters and high
