Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Dec 5: A controversial US counter-narcotics operation in the Eastern Pacific has once again come under global scrutiny after a strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel killed four individuals on Thursday. The incident adds to rising concerns surrounding an ongoing military campaign that has reportedly resulted in over 87 deaths so far.

US Southern Command confirmed that the targeted boat was allegedly operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and was transporting illegal narcotics through a known trafficking route. A video shared on X showed the multi-engine vessel speeding across the waters before a powerful strike engulfed it in flames.

The Biden administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are facing mounting criticism, particularly following a disturbing incident in early September where US forces launched a subsequent strike on wreckage from a damaged vessel — killing two survivors. Critics have raised alarms of a potential war crime.

Lawmakers were shown extended classified footage of the earlier strike on Capitol Hill. Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, described the visuals as “one of the most troubling things” he has witnessed in public service.

“You have two individuals in clear distress… without any means of locomotion, who were killed by the United States,” Himes said, calling the act a violation of humanitarian rules governing conflict.

Republican Representative Don Bacon echoed the concerns, noting that US wartime regulations prohibit killing survivors unless they pose an imminent threat. “These two people were trying to survive,” he said.

However, Republican Senator Tom Cotton defended the military’s actions, insisting the strikes were “entirely lawful,” claiming the survivors were attempting to right their capsized vessel to “stay in the fight.”

Even as the White House and Pentagon attempt to shield Hegseth from direct responsibility — pointing instead to Admiral Frank Bradley, who oversaw the operation — lawmakers argue accountability ultimately lies with the Defense Secretary.

The US asserts it is engaged in a war against narco-terrorists, deploying major naval forces including the world’s largest aircraft carrier to intensify surveillance and interdiction missions across the Caribbean. But the expanded presence has led to heightened tensions in the region, with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accusing Washington of using anti-drug operations as a cover for “regime change” efforts in Caracas.

As international pressure mounts, observers warn that the moral, legal, and geopolitical implications of the campaign could trigger deeper diplomatic fallout in the months ahead.