U.S. military strikes another alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific, killing two

The US military attacked another ship suspected of carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, killing two people.

US Southern Command posted a video on social media showing a boat floating on the water before the explosion. In the last few seconds of the video, smoke and fire rise from the boat.

A day earlier, US forces had attacked an alleged drug ship in the Eastern Pacific, killing one person and leaving two people alive. Southern Command said it “immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for survivors.”

The Trump administration’s campaign to blow up ships allegedly smuggling drugs in Latin American waters, including the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea, has continued since early September and has killed at least 196 people in total. The military did not provide evidence that any of the ships were carrying drugs.

The Pentagon watchdog said last week it would evaluate whether the U.S. military followed an established targeting framework in carrying out attacks on alleged drug-smuggling boats. The six-stage Joint Targeting Cycle includes a military commander’s intent, target development, analysis, decision, implementation, and evaluation.

The Pentagon inspector general’s office said the review was “self-initiated.” The legality of the strikes, which have come under intense scrutiny from some Democratic lawmakers and military law experts, will not be investigated.

The Trump administration says the United States is at war against Latin American drug cartels, which it says are responsible for the scourge of fatal drug overdoses that have plagued many American communities.