US Continues to Attack Drug Ships in the Pacific, Total 99 Dead

JAKARTA - The US Southern Command announced that American forces attacked a ship suspected of carrying drugs in the East Pacific, killing four people who were referred to as "drug terrorists."

Wednesday's attack was the 26th since such operations began on September 2. The Pentagon's reported death toll now stands at 99.

SOUTHCOM said the "deadly kinetic strike" was launched at the direction of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Joint Task Force Southern Spear.

"Intelligence confirms that the ship is crossing a known drug trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific and is involved in drug trafficking operations," the statement continued, as reported by ABC News, Friday, December 19.

"A total of four male drug terrorists were killed, and no US military forces were injured," the statement said.

The video posted alongside the statement showed the ship moving before it was hit by the explosion. The video then switched to show the ship on fire.