US forces have struck a second vessel alleged to be carrying drugs in the Pacific Ocean, amid an escalating US campaign against seaborne drug smuggling.
Three people were killed and no US forces were harmed in the strike on Wednesday, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said. It came hours after the US struck another boat in the Pacific, killing two people.
Colombia's government has denounced the US for carrying out strikes on vessels close to its coast, saying the American action was like applying the death penalty in a territory that is not yours.
Wednesday's strikes were the first in Pacific waters, as most previous attacks were in the Caribbean.
These strikes will continue, day after day. These are not simply drug runners - these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities, Hegseth posted on X.
The post was accompanied by a video that appears to show a boat catching fire after being struck by a US bomb. Floating items are then seen in the water, before they appear to be targeted by a second air strike.
The Colombian deputy foreign minister, Mauricio Jaramillo, said the strikes were disproportionate and outside international law. He urged the US to instead co-operate with Colombia in the fight against drug trafficking.
US President Donald Trump has stated he had the legal authority to continue bombing boats in international waters, hinting at plans to expand targets beyond the ocean.
At least 37 people have been killed in US strikes on alleged drug boats. The escalation into Pacific waters raises new questions about its impact and legality in international relations.
Both Colombia and neighbouring Ecuador play key roles in drug shipment routes to the US, with the Pacific being a significant pathway for trafficking.
