The U.S. military carried out another strike on a suspected drug-running vessel in the Eastern Pacific on Thursday, killing four men on board, according to U.S. Southern Command.
In a statement, SOUTHCOM said Operation Southern Spear conducted “a lethal kinetic strike” on a boat operated by a designated terrorist organization and carrying illicit narcotics along a known trafficking route. A 21-second video of the strike was released on social media.
1×
The attack comes as the Pentagon faces mounting bipartisan scrutiny over a separate incident in September, when the military fired a second strike on survivors of an already-disabled drug boat — an action some lawmakers say may constitute a war crime. At least 87 people have been killed across 23 strikes since the campaign began.
Earlier Thursday, Navy Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley briefed lawmakers on the September incident. Democrats described the video as troubling, while Republicans said the second strike was justified
President Trump has hinted at further escalation, saying the U.S. is preparing to conduct strikes not only at sea but “on land, too,” including inside Venezuela.