American forces destroyed another alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the Pacific Ocean on February 5, marking only the second such attack since US troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a month ago. The strike killed everyone aboard the boat, which US Southern Command said was "operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations" and moving along known drug-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific. The attack was ordered by General Francis L. Donovan, commander of US Southern Command. The pace of boat strikes has slowed dramatically since Maduro's January 3 capture. US forces have now

American forces destroyed another alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the Pacific Ocean on February 5, marking only the second such attack since US troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a month ago.

The strike killed everyone aboard the boat, which US Southern Command said was "operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations" and moving along known drug-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific. The attack was ordered by General Francis L. Donovan, commander of US Southern Command.

The pace of boat strikes has slowed dramatically since Maduro's January 3 capture. US forces have now destroyed at least 38 vessels in 36 strikes since September, killing at least 128 people across the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific. But only two boats have been hit since American troops raided Caracas and flew Maduro to New York to face narco-terrorism charges.

The controversial campaign, part of Operation Southern Spear, began in September 2025 when President Trump ordered military action against what he called "narco-terrorists." Trump claimed the strikes have "virtually stopped almost 100% of all drugs coming in by water."

But the operation has drawn fierce criticism. The Guardian reported that governments and families say many victims were civilian fishermen, not drug traffickers. The UN human rights chief called the strikes "unacceptable" and demanded they stop. Civil rights lawyers have filed lawsuits on behalf of families whose loved ones were killed.

Democrats in Congress also blasted the administration for launching military operations without congressional authorization. The Trump administration insists the strikes are legal and don't require approval from lawmakers.

Maduro, who denies all drug trafficking allegations, said before his capture that the US operations were a thinly veiled regime change effort. He and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in New York last month.

The military buildup continues, with thousands of US troops and Navy ships still deployed in the Caribbean despite Trump calling off a planned "second wave" of attacks after Maduro's capture.

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