The United States military carried out another deadly strike on a boat in the Caribbean. Officials said the boat was linked to drug smuggling. The Pentagon confirmed that at least four people died. The attack happened on Thursday.
This strike came as President Donald Trump’s administration faced heavy criticism. Lawmakers and experts questioned the growing number of US military actions in the region.
Southern Command Confirms The Operation
The US Southern Command posted details on X. It said the striker acted on direct orders from the US Secretary of Defence. The post stated, “On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organisation,” Centcom wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The command also shared more details about the target. It said, “Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed,” the statement further reads.
US officials said the boat travelled on a well-known drug route. They claimed intelligence agencies tracked it before the strike.
On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and… pic.twitter.com/pqksvxM3HP
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 4, 2025
Campaign Death Toll Crosses Eighty
The Trump administration has killed more than eighty alleged drug smugglers during this long campaign. These operations stretched over several months.
One earlier strike, which happened on September 2, caused serious concern. That incident triggered investigations by both Republican and Democratic committees in Congress.
Many lawmakers now want a full explanation of what happened during that mission.
White House Rejects Second Strike Allegations
The White House denied that Pete Hegseth ordered a second strike on the boat. Officials said Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley ordered the follow-up action instead.
The administration claimed that the second strike followed the laws of armed conflict. This claim came even though reports suggested that two survivors may have been targeted.
Legal Experts Raise War Crime Concerns
Legal experts said that attacking unarmed people is a war crime. They also pointed to the US military’s own manual. It states that firing on shipwrecks is illegal.
These facts deepened public concern and increased pressure on the government.
Admiral Bradley Testifies Before Congress
Admiral Bradley appeared before members of Congress on Thursday. He spoke in closed-door briefings. He denied receiving any order to kill everyone on the boat.
After the briefing, lawmakers gave different versions of the meeting.
Senator Tom Cotton supported Bradley’s statement. He said, “Bradley was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all,” said Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee, according to The Associated Press news agency.
Representative Adam Smith shared another version. He said, “The order was basically: Destroy the drugs, kill the 11 people on the boat,” said Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.
Smith also spoke about the video evidence. He said survivors were “basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water – until the missiles come and kill them.”
Scrutiny Over US Actions Continues
Questions now surround the US military’s actions. Lawmakers and rights groups continue to press for answers. They want to know whether the strikes broke international law.
This incident now stands as one of the most controversial military operations linked to the Trump administration in the Caribbean.