The Secretary emphasized that the attacked vessel was involved in illegal drug trafficking. All three individuals on board were eliminated, and there were no casualties among U.S. military personnel.
As reported by the Associated Press, this is already the fifteenth operation against suspected vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 64 deaths.
Journalists note that the U.S. presidential administration does not disclose details of these operations, including the legal grounds for their conduct and information about the casualties.
According to international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the use of force against vessels in international waters is only permissible in situations related to piracy or human trafficking, which does not include drug transportation.
Furthermore, the right to self-defense, as provided in Article 51 of the UN Charter, allows the use of force only in response to armed attacks, which does not pertain to drug trafficking.
It was previously reported that two survivors from one of the attacks were handed over to the authorities of Colombia and Ecuador after being held on a U.S. military ship. Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed that one of the destroyed vessels was a "narco-submarine" and promised to hold accountable the Colombian who returned to his homeland.
