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Pentagon declares legality of US strikes on drug trafficking vessels

02 December 2025 21:49 (UTC +04:00)

The United States carried out 21 strikes on boats Washington claims were used to smuggle drugs. All of these attacks were legal under U.S. and international law, said U.S. Defense Department spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson, APA reports.

"To date, 21 strikes have been carried out on drug boats in our hemisphere, killing 82 narco-terrorists. Each strike against designated terrorist organizations was carried out in defense of our national interests," she said. "Our activities in the U.S. Southern Command region [are carried out] in accordance with both U.S. and international law. All actions comply with the laws of armed conflict."

Wilson also dismissed as fabricated reports that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth ordered the killing of survivors after a boat was struck in the southern Caribbean.