US attacks ‘low-profile vessel’ alleging it ‘was engaged in narco-trafficking’

As President Donald Trump’s administration continues its controversial policy of conducting deadly attacks against vessels it alleges are involved in drug trafficking, U.S. Southern Command announced another strike on Monday.

“On Dec. 22, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,” a post on X states. 

There was one “narco-terrorist” confirmed to have been killed in the attack, according to SOUTHCOM.

US MILITARY STRIKES NARCO-TERRORIST VESSELS IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION

War Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a Mexican Border Defense Medal presentation in the Oval Office on Dec. 15, 2025. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images)

“Intelligence confirmed the low-profile vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. One male narco-terrorist was confirmed killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the post, which features footage of the attack, reads.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted U.S. Southern Command’s post on his personal X account.

SOUTHCOM SAYS 8 NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL KINETIC STRIKES

President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Dec. 17, 2025.  ( Doug MILLS / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Trump has indicated that the U.S. will start conducting strikes on land.

PENTAGON WON’T RELEASE ‘TOP SECRET, FULL, UNEDITED’ VIDEO OF SEPTEMBER DRUG BOAT STRIKE, HEGSETH SAYS

President Donald Trump stands next to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during a ceremony for the presentation of the Mexican Border Defense Medal in the Oval Office on Dec. 15, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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“And soon we’ll be starting the same program on land. The land is much easier,” Trump said on Monday, claiming that each of the “boats that we knocked out saved 25,000 lives.”