The US military says it struck two boats it alleges were carrying drugs on Wednesday, killing five people on board.
US Southern Command did not specify where the strikes took place but noted that US forces have been targeting vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics through the Caribbean and eastern Pacific for the past three months.
This strike occurred a day after the US targeted what it described as three narco-trafficking vessels travelling as a convoy, resulting in at least three deaths.
The Trump administration has framed its operations as a non-international armed conflict with the alleged traffickers; however, legal experts warn this could violate the laws governing such conflicts.
In total, there have been over 30 strikes against vessels as part of the Trump administration's 'war on drugs,' with more than 110 fatalities reported since the first attack on a boat in international waters on September 2.
This first attack has come under significant scrutiny, particularly since it was revealed that the targeted boat was struck twice. Survivors who clung to the hull of their vessel were reportedly killed in the second strike, prompting questions about adherence to rules of engagement from lawmakers.
In their latest announcement of the strike on the convoy, US Southern Command stated that there were several survivors without disclosing specific numbers. Reports suggest that eight survivors were being sought, but it remains unclear if any have been located.
Despite the absence of concrete evidence linking the targeted boats to drug transport, US Southern Command maintains that intelligence confirmed the vessels were navigating known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in such activities.
