U.S. military conducts 30th strike on alleged drug boat, killing 2

The U.S. subject said it launched another strike Monday connected a vas allegedly carrying drugs successful the eastbound Pacific, sidesplitting 2 people.

U.S. Southern Command claimed in a station connected X that the vas was "operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations successful planetary waters." The subject didn't accidental which organization, but the Trump medication has categorized respective Latin American cause cartels arsenic panic groups.

"Intelligence confirmed the vas was transiting on known narco-trafficking routes successful the Eastern Pacific and was engaged successful narco-trafficking operations. Two antheral narco-terrorists were killed," Southern Command said.

The U.S. subject has deed astatine slightest 30 alleged cause vessels successful the portion since aboriginal September, sidesplitting 107 radical — portion of a monthslong run of vessel strikes adjacent Latin America. President Trump has argued that vessel strikes person been effectual astatine quelling cause trafficking successful the eastbound Pacific and Caribbean Sea, but critics person questioned the president's ineligible authorization to transportation retired the strikes.

On Dec. 29, astatine the absorption of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic onslaught connected a vas operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations successful planetary waters. Intelligence confirmed the vas was transiting on known… pic.twitter.com/69ywxXk30N

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 29, 2025

Earlier Monday, Mr. Trump said the United States "knocked out" a "big facility" past week linked to alleged cause vessel operations.

"There was a large detonation successful the dock country wherever they load the boats up with drugs," Mr. Trump said erstwhile speaking to reporters astatine Mar-a-Lago successful Florida. The president besides said it had struck what helium called "the implementation area," adding, "that is nary longer around." 

Mr. Trump had said Friday successful a radio interview that the U.S. deed the installation "very hard" 2 nights before. The president didn't connection the determination of the facility, but helium has repeatedly floated onshore strikes connected alleged cause traffickers successful Venezuela and different countries. The New York Times reported that Mr. Trump was referring to a cause installation successful Venezuela. CBS News has reached retired to the White House for comment.

The Trump medication has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of cause trafficking and moving with gangs designated by the U.S. arsenic violent organizations, which Maduro denies. 

The U.S. has built up a heightened subject beingness successful the portion implicit the past fewer months, and Mr. Trump has besides said helium is instituting a "blockade" of each sanctioned lipid vessels entering oregon exiting Venezuela, impacting a cardinal economical assemblage for the South American country. The U.S. precocious seized two sanctioned lipid tankers off Venezuela's coast. 

The subject began conducting vessel strikes connected Sept. 2, which the medication has justified by arguing the U.S. is successful a "non-international equipped conflict" with cartels.

The strikes person drawn pushback from legislature Democrats and a fistful of Republicans who reason the operations haven't been authorized by Congress and the medication hasn't provided capable grounds that the vessels were carrying drugs. The Colombian and Venezuelan governments person besides criticized the strikes.

Kathryn Watson and Joe Walsh contributed to this report.