• US military kills three in a recent strike on a drug vessel in the Caribbean.
• The operation is part of a broader campaign against drug trafficking initiated by the Trump administration.
• The legality of these strikes has been questioned by human rights officials and lawmakers.

The U.S. military has conducted another lethal strike, resulting in the death of three individuals aboard an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea. This operation was confirmed by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who stated the strike was directed by President Donald Trump, aimed at a vessel known to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling and operating in international waters, according to Al Jazeera, ABC News, and NPR.

This marks the 15th U.S. strike in the Caribbean or Pacific since September, bringing the total number of fatalities to at least 64, as reported by Hegseth on social media. He emphasized that these "narco-terrorists" contribute to the drug crisis in the U.S. and noted that they would be treated "exactly how we treated Al-Qaeda," further elaborating on the strategic approach of treating drug cartels as terrorist organizations. This information was corroborated by India Times, CBS News, and Reuters.

The strikes, which have drawn criticism from human rights advocates and legal scholars for potentially violating international law, have included calls from Senate Democrats for transparency regarding the legal justifications for these military actions. They argue that these details have not been adequately shared with Congress, as indicated in their letter calling for greater accountability on the operations, as cited by BBC and AA.

Moreover, the ongoing military campaign has been seen by some critics, including Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, as an attempt to exert U.S. influence in Latin America, further complicating regional relations. The Pentagon, however, views these operations as integral to countering narcotic trafficking that threatens U.S. borders, according to sources such as NPR and CBS News.