US Military Strike on Suspected Drug Boats Kills Five

The U.S. military reported conducting a strike on two vessels suspected of drug trafficking on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of five people. According to U.S. Southern Command, the strike targeted boats allegedly carrying narcotics.

The location of the strike was not disclosed, but U.S. forces have been targeting vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics through the Caribbean and eastern Pacific for the past three months, according to the U.S. Southern Command. The Wednesday strike occurred a day after the U.S. military targeted what it described as "three narco-trafficking vessels travelling as a convoy," resulting in at least three deaths.

These actions are part of the "war on drugs," and the Trump administration has overseen more than 30 strikes on vessels in international waters suspected of drug trafficking, resulting in over 110 deaths, according to multiple news sources.

These strikes have prompted scrutiny from lawmakers and legal experts, who question their legality under international law. Concerns have been raised about potential violations of armed conflict regulations, particularly regarding the targeting of survivors. Some have pointed to "double-tap" strikes, where survivors are allegedly targeted, as raising ethical and legal concerns.

The legality of targeting vessels in international waters and the rules of engagement being employed are under review, according to multiple reports.