The United States has carried out its 17th lethal strike against a suspected drug vessel, resulting in the deaths of all three individuals aboard. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the strike, which occurred in international waters in the Caribbean on Thursday. Hegseth stated, "As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their poisoning of the American people stops." The vessel was reportedly involved in narcotics trafficking. Hegseth confirmed that no U.S. forces were harmed during the operation.

In a separate operation, Colombian President Gustavo Petro reported the arrest of six individuals and the seizure of over seven tons of cocaine in the Atlantic Ocean, which he described as one of the largest seizure days during his administration, achieved with the assistance of public security forces and French authorities. The nationalities of those arrested remain unspecified.

The Trump administration has provided a confidential target list to more than a dozen Senate Republicans, indicating preparations for ongoing military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean. Hegseth warned narco-terrorists, stating, "If you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs -- we will kill you." This statement reflects a broader strategy that raises questions about the implications of militaristic approaches to drug trafficking and the potential humanitarian consequences of such actions.