A vessel earlier than and after it was struck by the U.S. Navy. Photograph: Display garb through X/@Southcom
The U.S. navy stated on Tuesday (February 17, 2026) that it carried out strikes on three boats accused of smuggling medicine in Latin American waters, killing 11 folks in one of many deadliest days of the Trump administration’s months-long marketing campaign.
The sequence of strikes performed on Monday (February 16, 2026) introduced the demise toll to at the least 145 folks because the administration started concentrating on these it calls “narco-terrorists” in small vessels since early September.
Like a lot of the navy’s statements on the 42 recognized strikes, U.S. Southern Command stated it focused alleged drug traffickers alongside recognized smuggling routes. It stated two vessels carrying 4 folks every had been struck within the japanese Pacific Ocean, whereas a 3rd boat with three folks was hit within the Caribbean Sea.
The navy didn’t present proof that the vessels had been ferrying medicine however posted movies that confirmed boats being destroyed.
U.S. President Donald Trump has stated the U.S., is in “armed battle” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the assaults as a mandatory escalation to stem the move of medicine. However his administration has supplied little proof to assist its claims of killing “narco-terrorists”.
Printed – February 18, 2026 07:06 am IST