U.S. Kills Three in Pacific Strike

Operation Southern Spear has now resulted in the destruction of 52 vessels and the deaths of 174 people, according to Pentagon figures.

President Trump has justified the escalation by stating that the U.S. is in an "armed conflict" with narco-terrorists and that force is necessary to stem the flow of drugs.

However, human rights advocates have condemned the strikes as potentially unlawful and a dangerous expansion of military power.

The latest incident highlights the administration's aggressive shift toward kinetic solutions in its regional anti-drug policy.