The U.S. military recently executed its eighth strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel, an operation that tragically claimed two lives. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed this incident on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. This latest strike, which took place in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday night, October 21, differs from the previous seven, all of which occurred in the Caribbean.
With these two recent fatalities, the total death toll from all such strikes now stands at a somber 34 individuals. Secretary Hegseth shared a brief video via social media, depicting a small boat, visibly laden with brown packages, navigating the waters. Moments later, the vessel explodes, leaving it ablaze and adrift. In an unusual move, Hegseth drew a direct parallel between the alleged drug traffickers and the perpetrators of the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Hegseth stated, “Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” vowing “there will be no refuge or forgiveness — only justice.” President Donald Trump has consistently defended these aggressive strikes, asserting that the United States is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. This stance leverages the same legal authority invoked by President George W. Bush’s administration when it launched the “War on Terror” after the tragic events of September 11.