U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Saturday night that U.S. military forces carried out a lethal attack on a vessel in Caribbean waters that he said was carrying narcotics and operated by a “Designated Terrorist Organization” (DTO).
Hegseth stated in his X account that three “narco-terrorists” were killed in the operation, which reportedly occurred in international waters, and assured that no U.S. military personnel were injured.
Three narcoterrorists killed in new U.S. attack.
Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on another narco-trafficking vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Caribbean.
This vessel-like EVERY OTHER-was known by our intelligence to be… pic.twitter.com/W7xqeMpSUi
– Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) November 2, 2025
According to the official, the vessel had been identified by intelligence services as part of a known drug trafficking route and was carrying drugs.
Hegseth said the order was given by President Donald Trump and defended the move as part of a broader Southern Command campaign against narcotics trafficking that, he said, is being executed “as was done with Al-Qaeda”: track, trace and eliminate threats.
The official statements speak of the identity of the target (a boat linked to drug trafficking), the number of dead and that the action was carried out in international waters.
However, no public evidence has been released to support the claim of drug presence on board or the formal link to a DTO, and the Department of Defense has not released forensic details or the legal report that justified the action.
In previous attacks related to this campaign, other deaths were reported and some survivors repatriated to their countries, which has raised questions about consistency between the evidence presented and the decisions to use lethal force.
Reactions and political context
The naval campaign and bombings at sea are part of a larger strategy announced by the Administration to “fight the cartels” and put pressure on regimes targeted for facilitating trafficking routes.
Human rights leaders and groups have expressed concern about the human cost and the possible violation of international law if clear evidence is not presented to demonstrate the legality and necessity of each attack.
In Congress, both senators and representatives have requested access to the legal justification authorizing the operations.
Why does this matter for the U.S. Hispanic community?
Regional security and migration: military escalation in maritime zones near Latin American countries may increase diplomatic tensions and influence migration flows to the US.
Impact on family members and communities: many Hispanic families have relatives in affected areas; lack of transparency complicates case verification and consular assistance.
Rights and legal protection: debates on the legality of these attacks may result in international prosecutions and requests for information that affect cooperation between States.
What to watch for in the coming days
If the Government publishes the legal memo justifying the actions, and its scope (if it includes operations on land).
Responses from governments in the region and the Southern Command on evidence and protocols.
Communiqués from international organizations and NGOs on possible human rights violations.
This series of maritime attacks opens a relevant geopolitical and humanitarian chapter for the Latino community in the US: following official information, demanding transparency and caring for families with ties in the region will be key in the coming weeks.
Filed as: Three narcoterrorists killed
