2 killed in U.S. strike on alleged drug boat in Eastern Pacific, Hegseth says

Two people on board an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific were killed by a U.S. military strike, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday

Two people on board an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific were killed by a U.S. military strike, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday.

Hegseth said on X that the boat was targeted in a "lethal kinetic strike" in international waters and killed two “narco-terrorists.” He also included video of the strike in the X post.

"Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics," he said.

The term kinetic strike can generally describe deploying launched or fired munitions, but can also mean a strike from a moving aircraft, such as a drone.

Hegseth did not provide the exact location of the strike or the evidence of the trafficking operation claims. The Trump administration has provided more information about the groups involved or the origin country of crew members in previous strikes.