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Donald Trump ordered the US military to carry out three strikes against four boats accused of carrying drugs in the Pacific ocean, killing 14 'narco-terrorists.' The announcement was carried out by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who noted one 'narco-terrorist' survivor was captured by Mexican search and rescue authorities. Hegseth said Mexico 'assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue' but did not clarify if the survivor would be handed over to the US. Footage of the strikes on the drug boats was posted to social media, where one vessel visibly filled with large amounts of parcels suddenly explodes while moving in the water. Other footage shows two stationary drug boats with at least two people seen moving along them before a US bomb engulfs the vessels in flame. 'The four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics,' Hegseth wrote in a statement on X. The total number of strikes on drug boats since early September 13 has rise to 13, with approximately 57 'narco-terrorists' dead. The exact location of the strikes is unknown. Hegseth noted in his announcement that the drug boat killings occurred in the 'Eastern Pacific.' 'Eight male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessels during the first strike,' Hegseth added. 'Four male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the second strike. Three male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the third strike. A total of 14 narco-terrorists were killed during the three strikes, with one survivor. All strikes were in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed.' A source close to Hegseth says the strikes will continue until cartels 'stop in their tracks.' Since the start of his second term, Trump has made aggressive military moves against Latin American drug cartels. Moreover, Trump has targeted countries he has accused of protecting cartel members seeking to ship drugs into the US, including Venezuela. The Pentagon last Friday announced the deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford — the world's most advanced aircraft carrier — to the Caribbean. Maduro has accused the US of 'inventing a war,' while his government condemned the drills as a 'serious threat' and 'hostile act.' It comes amid speculation that Trump is planning an offensive inside Venezuela, which the administration accuses of facilitating Tren de Aragua and other cartels. The US currently has around 10,000 troops in the Caribbean — the largest force since the Cold War, including multiple warships, nuclear submarines, F-35 fighter jets, MQ-9 Reaper drones, P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance planes, and B-52 bombers. Among the fleet, and raising alarm among defense experts, is the presence of a US Special Forces 'ghost ship' which moved into the region at the end of last month. The innocuously named MV Ocean Trader, which often sails without broadcasting its location, is a converted commercial vessel — designed to blend in with regular shipping traffic for covert operations. The latest strikes, however, in the Eastern Pacific ocean indicate the US military may be targeting This is a breaking news story.
