US military strikes 3 more boats in Eastern Pacific, Caribbean, killing 11: SOUTHCOM

ByABC NEWSABCNews logo
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
ABC News Live

The United States military says it hit three more vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, killing 11 men.

U.S. Southern Command says in an online post that the vessels were traveling along drug-trafficking routes and "engaged in narco-trafficking." A video accompanying the strike shows the three separate strikes.

The U.S. military says it hit three more vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, killing 11 men.
The U.S. military says it hit three more vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, killing 11 men.
U.S. Southern Command/X

Officials said four men were killed in the strike on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, four on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific and three on the third vessel in the Caribbean.

No U.S. military forces were harmed, according to SOUTHCOM.

According to the government's count, the U.S. has killed a total of 144 people in the strikes, which are now being led by U.S. Southern Command Gen. Francis Donovan.

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