8 killed as 3 drug boats blown up in Pacific: US military

A strike on three alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean killed eight people on Monday (December 15, 2025), the US military said, amid growing criticism of a campaign that has taken more than 90 lives.

As of last count, at least 93 lives had been taken in the boat strikes.

The latest targets were vessels in international waters operated by a "Designated Terrorist Organization".

"Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters."

"Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking," US Southern Command said in a post on X.

"A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions—three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third."

"A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions—three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third."