On March 8, 2026, the US military killed six people who were suspected of being drug traffickers in the eastern Pacific Ocean. They were called “narcoterrorists.” Since early September 2025, this operation has been the 45th. It has brought the total number of deaths in the campaign to at least 156.

The US Southern Command put out an 11-second video showing a boat with outboard motors that was not moving blowing up after the strike. Intelligence said the ship was on known drug trafficking routes and was involved in drug operations, even though no drugs were shown to the public. General Francis L. Donovan gave the order for the action, and no US personnel were hurt.

These strikes, which started under President Donald Trump, are meant to stop drug trafficking by sea from Latin America and the Caribbean. Frequency has gone up recently, and this event was one of the deadliest single strikes. There are still human rights concerns about how little information the intelligence community shares and the risks to civilians.