Key facts
- Five people were killed in an airstrike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel.
- The strike occurred in the eastern Pacific.
- The Trump administration has conducted over 70 such strikes since the beginning of its second term.
The US military announced Tuesday that an airstrike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific resulted in five fatalities. This incident is part of a series of over 70 strikes conducted since the beginning of Donald Trump's second presidency, which collectively have led to more than 240 deaths. The administration asserts these actions are necessary to combat drug trafficking into the US. However, the lack of definitive evidence has led to debate among legal experts and rights groups, who question the legality of the strikes and suggest they may constitute extrajudicial killings.