The US military has conducted another round of air strikes in the Eastern Pacific near Mexico, this time killing 14 “narco-terrorists” smuggling drugs, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the US attacked four boats carrying narcotics. All on board the vessels except one man were killed.
The US military's Southern Command, which operates across the Caribbean, South America and Central America, rescued the survivor and handed him over to Mexican authorities, Mr Hegseth said.
The strikes took place in international waters, he added.
Washington has carried out a major build-up of military forces in Latin America that it says is aimed at countering drug trafficking, sending seven warships as well as F-35 warplanes, and ordering the USS Gerald R Ford carrier strike group to the region.
Regional tensions have flared as a result of the military build-up and the strikes, which have killed dozens of alleged drug smugglers. Venezuela accuses the US of plotting to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, who has accused Washington of “fabricating a war”.
“The Department has spent over two decades defending other homelands. Now, we’re defending our own,” Mr Hegseth said on X. “These narco-terrorists have killed more Americans than Al Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them.”
