The U.S. military has carried out its first direct strike against a suspected drug cartel vessel in the Pacific Ocean, marking a significant escalation in America’s militarized approach to combating international narcotics trafficking. Confirmed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and reportedly authorized by President Donald Trump, the operation took place in international waters of the Eastern Pacific and killed two suspected smugglers. No U.S. personnel were injured. Hegseth announced that cartels would now be treated as “terrorist organizations,” warning that drug traffickers “will find no safe harbor anywhere in our hemisphere.”

The target was a high-speed “go-fast” boat east of Ecuador—an established corridor for cocaine bound for North America. Intelligence officials said the vessel had been monitored for several days before the strike. This operation represents the first known use of direct military force in the Pacific under the administration’s expanded campaign against cartels, granting the Pentagon broader authority to strike cartel-linked assets using air and naval power.

Reactions across Latin America were cautious. Governments in Ecuador and Panama called for coordination to prevent diplomatic conflict, while regional analysts warned that unilateral military action could strain relations. U.S. defense experts described the strike as a “test case” demonstrating advanced intelligence and precision capabilities. Critics in Congress questioned the legality of deploying the military against nonstate actors, while supporters argued that cartels now operate as paramilitary threats. As further operations are anticipated, analysts say the campaign could redefine both the global war on drugs and U.S. military engagement abroad.