The U.S. military carried out a missile strike on a small boat off the coast of Colombia in October 2025, marking its first operation in the Pacific Ocean as part of an expanded campaign against drug-trafficking cartels. The attack reportedly killed two individuals and involved War Secretary Pete Hegseth, who compared the targeted group to al-Qaeda. A video released by Hegseth showed the vessel carrying what appeared to be brown packages before it was destroyed.
Hegseth stated, “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 represents an expansion of the Trump administration’s anti-cartel efforts, which had previously focused on the Caribbean region near Venezuela. The White House has not provided a public explanation for the shift into Pacific waters.
The operation follows earlier military actions in South American waters, including a prior attack announced by Hegseth on October 3 and another strike near Venezuela on October 14, which reportedly killed six people. The Colombia strike occurs amid tensions between President Donald J. Trump and Colombia’s Marxist leader, Gustavo Petro, who has publicly criticized the U.S. president.
The Trump administration framed the operations as a national security measure, citing presidential authority under Article II powers to act in self-defense. Intelligence for targeting decisions reportedly comes from the Central Intelligence Agency but remains classified.
