U.S. destroys alleged drug-smuggling boat in Pacific, killing 2 people

Updated on: August 24, 2026 / 10:07 AM EDT / CBS/AFP The United States military said Monday it carried out a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Pacific Ocean, killing two people. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a post on X that the strike, which took place Sunday, targeted a vessel "operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific." "Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel's active involvement in narco-trafficking," it added. "This operation is a clear and decisive reminder that SOUTHCOM is taking the fight directly to the cartels," SOUTHCOM said. Grainy black-and-white video footage accompanying the post showed a boat moving through the water before a large explosion. Donovan said in a statement Monday. The latest strike comes days after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. would extend its offensive to land across multiple Latin American countries.

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