The US military just used ‘lethal kinetic strike’ to blow up a boat, the death count for the administration’s drug war is officially out of control

The U.S. military just carried out another “lethal kinetic strike” on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific, resulting in the immediate deaths of two people, as reported by The Hill. The U.S. Southern Command, or Southcom, was quick to share the details of the strike. They posted a brief 12-second clip to a social platform showing the vessel moving before it was absolutely hammered by the strike, instantly catching fire and sinking.

Southcom confirmed that Joint Task Force Southern Spear handled the operation, acting under the direction of Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan. They characterized the vessel as “transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.” It sounds like they had clear intelligence on the boat’s activities. Southcom also confirmed that two individuals, whom they labeled “narco-terrorists,” were killed in the strike.

This isn’t the first time the military has disclosed one of these lethal kinetic strikes this year. In fact, it’s the second. The military previously revealed a similar strike that took place on January 23, when another alleged drug boat was hit in the Eastern Pacific. Two more people identified as “narco-terrorists” died in that attack as well. There was one survivor from the January incident, and the Coast Guard attempted a search and rescue mission for 56 hours before they finally suspended the effort.

Looking at the bigger picture, the sheer scale of these operations is honestly jarring

Since September 2, the U.S. has now conducted at least 37 operations targeting boats across the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. The administration is reporting that these efforts have resulted in the deaths of at least 127 “narco-terrorists.” That number is astronomical. You have to wonder about the long-term implications of using this level of lethal force so frequently in the ongoing drug war.

It’s worth noting the timing here, too. The U.S. has disclosed both of this year’s fatal boat strikes following the high-profile capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas on January 3. The Latin American strongman pleaded not guilty last month to federal drug-trafficking charges.

Despite the mounting death toll, the administration maintains that these strikes are crucial because they prevent the flow of illegal drugs from reaching the United States. The military is clearly intent on keeping up the pressure along these trafficking routes, and if this recent strike is any indication, they aren’t slowing down anytime soon.