Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Dec 18: The United States military on Wednesday said it carried out an airstrike on a boat allegedly involved in drug smuggling in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four people. The operation came on the same day that the US House of Representatives rejected attempts to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to use military force against drug cartels.

The US Southern Command, in a post on social media, claimed the vessel was operated by “narco-terrorists” along a known trafficking route. While no evidence was provided to support the allegation, the military shared a video showing a boat moving through the water before an explosion.

With the latest strike, the total number of known boat attacks has risen to 26, while at least 99 people have been killed so far, according to figures released by the Trump administration. President Trump has defended the campaign as a necessary escalation to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, asserting that the country is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

However, the boat strike campaign has drawn mounting scrutiny from lawmakers. The first such attack in early September reportedly involved a follow-up strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage after the initial assault.

Amid the controversy, House Republicans on Wednesday voted down two Democratic-backed resolutions that sought to compel the Trump administration to obtain Congressional authorisation before continuing military action against drug cartels. These votes marked the first time the House directly addressed Trump’s military campaign in Central and South America.

Earlier, a majority of Senate Republicans had also opposed similar measures. Even if such resolutions were to clear Congress, Trump is widely expected to veto them.