The attack is part of the unilateral military operations of the Donald Trump government in the Caribbean and Pacific waters, allegedly aimed at reducing drug trafficking.
On Monday, Donald Trump declared fentanyl a 'weapon of mass destruction' through an executive order. The operation on Monday was carried out under the direction of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, using the Joint Task Force Southern Spear.
According to 'intelligence information', the vessels were sailing on known drug trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were involved in drug trafficking activities, says the U.S. government statement. 'The operations were carried out as part of the maritime interdiction strategy against drug trafficking networks linked to terrorism'.
It was reported that 'eight male narcoterrorists' were killed: three on the first vessel, two on the second, and three on the third. Authorities stated that the operation was part of the initiative called Operation Southern Spear, focused on weakening the criminal structures operating in international waters.
On Monday, December 15, the U.S. government announced that it carried out lethal kinetic attacks against three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. The communication does not provide evidence of the alleged drugs transported or the supposed criminal identities of the individuals killed.
