US Military Strikes Vessels in Eastern Pacific, Killing Four

The US military has carried out its fourth deadly strike on vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean in the past four days, killing four people. The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the attack on social media, releasing a video that shows a boat being hit by a missile and exploding.

SOUTHCOM claimed that the four people killed were "narco-terrorists", but did not provide any evidence to support this claim. The justification for the attack was based on intelligence that the vessel was engaged in narco-trafficking operations, although details of this intelligence were not provided.

Context of the Attacks

The latest attack brings the overall death toll to at least 175 since early September, when US President Donald Trump ordered the attacks to stop what the White House claims are Latin American cartels transporting drugs to the US. The US coastguard has suspended a search for one survivor from the two attacks reported on Saturday.

International legal experts and rights groups have criticized the US military campaign, saying it amounts to "extrajudicial killings" in international waters. They argue that the attacks have targeted civilian fishing boats and that those on board should face the law, rather than deadly attacks.

Critics have also questioned the effectiveness of the US military operation, pointing out that the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses in the US is typically trafficked over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

The US military has carried out several strikes on vessels in the eastern Pacific in recent days, including two people killed in a US strike on Monday, and five people killed in two separate strikes on Saturday.