The Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, on Tuesday announced the 13th strike on a narco-terrorist vessel, this time in the Pacific Ocean. This marked the largest single operation against a drug-trafficking vessel to date, involving three separate strikes, four boats, and resulting in the deaths of 14 narco-terrorists.
"Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific. The four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics," he wrote on X. "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. All strikes were in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed."
Hegseth concluded his post by stating that his department has spent over two decades defending other nations — but now, it’s time to defend America. He noted that illegal narcotics have claimed more American lives than any terrorist group the U.S. has ever fought.
"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."
Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific.
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 28, 2025
The four vessels were known by our intelligence… pic.twitter.com/UhoFlZ3jPG
In total, U.S. strikes have killed 57 narco-terrorists.
The Trump administration informed Congress several weeks ago that the United States is engaged in "non-international armed conflict" with the drug traffickers, who have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations.