• US military strikes on three alleged drug boats result in 11 fatalities.
• The operations form part of a broader campaign against drug trafficking in Latin America.
• Concerns raised over legality and evidence regarding the operations and their targets.
• The death toll from the operation since September now stands at least 145.
• Critics accuse the strikes of violating international law and due process rights.

The US military recently conducted strikes on three vessels in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals described by authorities as "male narco-terrorists." This operation is part of a broader military campaign aimed at combating drug trafficking, which has reportedly claimed at least 145 lives since its inception in September. The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) stated that the vessels were targeting known drug trafficking routes and were involved in narco-trafficking operations, according to aa and bbc.

Despite claiming to combat narco-terrorism, the military has faced criticism for providing insufficient evidence that these vessels were transporting illegal drugs. Critics have also noted that the fentanyl responsible for many deaths in the US is largely smuggled across land from Mexico, rather than through maritime routes. The strikes have sparked allegations of extrajudicial killings, as legal experts and some lawmakers question the legality of targeting individuals without clear evidence linking them to drug trafficking, as reported by latimes and aljazeera.

The attacks have intensified scrutiny on the Trump administration's military campaign, especially following disclosures that survivors of initial strikes may have been targeted in subsequent attacks, which has led some to label these actions as potential war crimes. Reactions in Congress reflect a division, with some supporting the operations while others demand accountability and proper legal justification for the attacks, according to indiatimes and scmp.

Recent actions have included the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which the US regarded as a significant blow to drug trafficking within the region. This operation has contributed to a broader military buildup in Latin America, drawing international criticism regarding the US's legal basis for conducting such operations against non-state actors without explicit congressional approval. Concerns persist regarding the transparency and accountability of these military actions, emphasized by legal scholars and human rights advocates, as noted by cbsnews and independent.