US Forces Kill 14 Alleged Narco-Terrorists in Eastern Pacific Strikes, Pete Hegseth Says [WATCH]

U.S. military forces struck four suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific on Tuesday, killing 14 alleged members of designated terrorist organizations, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced, as reported by Fox News.

The strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, targeted ships the Department identified as transiting known narcotics routes and carrying large quantities of drugs, Hegseth said.

“All strikes were in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed,” Hegseth said, adding that the operations were aimed at “Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific.”

According to Hegseth, intelligence showed the four vessels were known to U.S. agencies and were operating along established narco-trafficking corridors.

Hegseth provided a breakdown of the three daytime strikes that resulted in 14 fatalities and one survivor.

“The four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics. Eight male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessels during the first strike. Four male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the second strike. Three male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the third strike. A total of 14 narco-terrorists were killed during the three strikes, with one survivor.”

Regarding the survivor, Hegseth said, “Regarding the survivor, USSOUTHCOM immediately initiated Search and Rescue (SAR) standard protocols; Mexican SAR authorities accepted the case and assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue.”

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Officials said the operations follow a sustained campaign that began Sept. 2 under orders from the Trump administration to target boats allegedly transporting illicit drugs.

Dozens of suspected traffickers have been killed in recent weeks in strikes conducted in the Caribbean and the broader region, military officials said.

Hegseth framed the campaign as part of a shift in focus.

“The Department has spent over TWO DECADES defending other homelands. Now, we’re defending our own. 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,” he declared.

The secretary also referenced a prior operation announced Friday that targeted a vessel linked to Tren de Aragua (TdA), which U.S. officials have designated a terrorist organization.

Hegseth said that strike — the first conducted at night — killed six male narco-terrorists in international waters and that “no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike.”

U.S. military and interagency officials said all strikes were conducted in compliance with international law and rules of engagement.

Details regarding the precise locations of the recent Eastern Pacific strikes, the identities of the deceased, and the volume of narcotics seized or destroyed were not released at the time of Hegseth’s statement.

The campaign to interdict drug shipments at sea represents a prioritized effort by the Trump administration to cut the flow of narcotics and to target transnational criminal networks the Department has described as increasingly violent and dangerous to U.S. citizens.

Military officials said cooperation with regional partners — including Mexico in the case of the survivor — remains a central component of ongoing operations.

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