US Strike Kills Four In Caribbean Boat Attack
View from the Citadel Ramparts in Copenhagen by Moonlight — Martinus Rørbye, 1839
What Happened
The U.S. military struck a boat in the Caribbean Sea on Saturday, killing four people it described as drug traffickers. U.S. Southern Command did not provide evidence the vessel was carrying drugs. The strike brings the total killed in these boat attacks to at least 231 across 69 strikes over the past year.
Why It Matters
The administration calls this an armed conflict with cartels. It has not shown evidence tying most of the dead to trafficking. The campaign is also expanding into deals for land operations in other countries — Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras have reportedly agreed, though Guatemala has denied it. A year in, the count keeps growing faster than the proof.
What's Next
The U.S. is pursuing more agreements to extend military operations onto land in allied Latin American countries.