On February 16, 2026, the United States military carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel allegedly affiliated with “a Designated Terrorist Organization,” reportedly killing four men described as “narco-terrorists” in the Eastern Pacific.

This strike was announced as one of three strikes on vessels in a statement published by @Southcom on Twitter/X on February 17th announcing the strikes on three vessels that were allegedly “transiting along known narco-trafficking routes” and “were engaged in narco-trafficking operations.” The other two strikes on February 16th been assessed separately in USMAR260216b and USMAR260216c. In a video included in the post, a boat with visible movement onboard can be seen floating for seconds before it erupts into flames and smoke. A second boats is then seen moving through the water with visible movement onboard before it also erupts into flames and smoke. A third boat is also seen floating in the water until it also erupts into flames and smoke. It is unclear which boat in the videos depicts which incident and subsequent casualties.

There were no additional details found among local sources about the victims.

Methodological note about classification of those killed in this incident

In documenting this incident, Airwars is following the guidance outlined by independent International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law experts, whereby those on the vessels are understood to be civilians, given that the legal framework in which the strikes are being conducted remains in question.

Airwars has therefore included a civilian casualty count of four deaths.