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The U.S. has struck three alleged drug trafficking boats in the Eastern Pacific, killing eight people.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) confirmed the strikes were ordered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Monday, December 15.
Three people in the first vessel were killed, two people were killed in the second, and three were killed in the third.
- U.S. Southern Command struck three alleged drug trafficking boats on Dec 15, killing eight people in international waters.
- Strikes were ordered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
- Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, demand oversight after multiple lethal strikes under Hegseth.
Eight people have been killed in further U.S. boat strikes
Image credits: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
“On Dec. 15, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,” SOUTHCOM wrote on X.
“Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking.
“A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions—three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third. #OpSouthernSpear.”
The strikes come as a bipartisan investigation into Hegseth is underway over a double-tap strike on September 2, and criticism of the Trump administration’s actions grows.
On Dec. 15, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/IQfCVvUpau
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 16, 2025
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed that an all-Senators briefing would take place on Tuesday as Democrats push for answers on the strikes.
“Following my repeated demands, there will be an all-Senators briefing TOMORROW with Secretaries Hegseth and Rubio on this Administration’s rogue and reckless actions in the Caribbean,” Schumer wrote on X Monday.
“This briefing comes after weeks of pressure from myself and other Senate Democrats to ensure all senators hear from this Administration, who seem to be afraid to provide even the most basic answers.
“The American people deserve oversight. We intend to deliver it.”
Image credits: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
So far, at least 95 people have been killed in U.S. strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since the administration told Congress it was in an “armed conflict” against drug cartels.
Scrutiny over those strikes intensified when reports emerged at the start of this month alleging Hegseth ordered U.S. forces to leave no survivors.
The Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed it would be “conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts” regarding the September 2 strikes.
It is alleged that after the initial strike on September 2, a follow-up strike was ordered to kill survivors clinging to the wreckage in the water.
Scrutiny over the strikes continues to grow
NEWS: Following my repeated demands, there will be an all-Senators briefing TOMORROW with Secretaries Hegseth and Rubio on this Administration’s rogue and reckless actions in the Caribbean.
This briefing comes after weeks of pressure from myself and other Senate Democrats to…
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 15, 2025
The White House has confirmed that Admiral Frank M. Bradley ordered a second strike on the boat, but has denied that Hegseth issued a directive to kill everyone.
Hegseth has denied the allegations against him, describing them as “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory,” writing on X that “operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier told reporters that Bradley “worked well within his authority and the law” when he ordered the second strike.
At a cabinet meeting on December 2, Hegseth also appeared to contradict his initial account of the strikes, telling reporters he had left the room to attend a meeting after the first strike.
Image credits: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
“I did not personally see survivors … that thing was on fire, it was exploded,” he said.
“You got fire, smoke, you can’t see anything. This is called the fog of war.”
Hegseth had told Fox & Friends in September, “I watched it live. We knew exactly who was in that boat, we knew exactly what they were doing and we knew exactly who they represented.”
If a probe finds that the second strike was ordered to kill survivors in the water, it would likely have violated U.S. and international law.
On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and… pic.twitter.com/pqksvxM3HP
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 4, 2025
When reports about the second strike first emerged, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said, “This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true.”
Republican Representative Mike Turner added, “Obviously, if that occurred, that would be very serious, and I agree that that would be an illegal act.”
Despite intense criticism and scrutiny, a social media post from SOUTHCOM shows that another strike was ordered amid the reports.
On December 4, Hegseth ordered another lethal strike against an alleged drug trafficking boat, killing four people.
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