U.S. Military in Latin America and the Caribbean

In September 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump launched a campaign of military strikes on supposed “narco-terrorists” in small boats, initially in the Caribbean Sea and later in the Pacific. Accusing those on the boats of smuggling drugs bound for the United States, the campaign marked a significant shift in U.S. policy – with the United Nations claiming the attacks violate international law.

Airwars is tracking all publicly declared actions by the U.S. and presenting an interactive total of these incidents. Each incident will then be independently researched by Airwars’ civilian casualty assessment team. When declared strikes have been fully researched, these incidents will appear on the page below. Our full methodology note can be read online here.

Incident type:

Last Updated: 10 November 2025

Incident Date

14 October 2025

Incident Code

USCAR251014a

Location

International Waters just off the Coast of Venezuela, Caribbean Sea, Caribbean Sea
During the morning of October 14th, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that American forces carried out a “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel allegedly trafficking narcotics and linked to a Designated Terrorist Organisation involved in drug-trafficking. The post included a short video showing an explosion at sea and claimed that six…

Summary

Published
13 November 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Boat)
Estimated fatalities
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

4 October 2025

Incident Code

USCAR251004a

Location

Mar Caribe, Caribbean Sea, Caribbean Sea, Caribbean Sea
On October 5, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly claimed that the U.S. Navy had blown up another "cartel terrorist" boat the previous night in the Caribbean Sea - which would mean the strike occurred on October 4, 2025. The statement came during Trump's speech celebrating the US Navy's 250th anniversary at Naval Station Norfolk…

Summary

Published
21 October 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Boat)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

3 October 2025

Incident Code

USCAR251003a

Location

En aguas internacionales frente a las costas de Venezuela, In international waters off the coast of Venezuela, Caribbean Sea, Caribbean Sea
During the morning of October 3rd, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, announced that a U.S. strike destroyed a drug-trafficking boat in international waters "just" off the coast of Venezuela, reportedly killing four men on board. In a post published on his X account (@SecWar) at 12:33 p.m. local time, Hegseth stated that…

Summary

Published
21 October 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Boat)
Estimated fatalities
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

19 September 2025

Incident Code

USCAR250919a

Location

Aguas Internacionales 80 millas náuticas al sur de Isla Beata, provincia de Pedernales de la República Dominicana, International waters 80 nautical miles south of Beata Island, Pedernales province of the Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Caribbean Sea
On September 19th, 2025, the United States carried out what United States President Donald Trump described as a “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel in international waters. According to Trump’s official statement on Truth Social, the strike killed three male individuals on board, whom he referred to as “narco-terrorists” involved in trafficking illicit drugs toward…

Summary

Published
21 October 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Boat)
Estimated fatalities
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

15 September 2025

Incident Code

USCAR250915a

Location

Aguas Internacionales, cerca de la costa de Venezuela, International Waters, off the coast of Venezuela, Caribbean Sea, Caribbean Sea
During the morning of September 15th, 2025, the United States military carried out a second reported strike in the Caribbean Sea, striking a boat accused of transporting illegal narcotics from Venezuela. President Donald Trump confirmed the strike, announcing that three men were killed aboard the vessel. The incident allegedly occurred in international waters, although no…

Summary

Published
9 October 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Boat)
Estimated fatalities
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 September 2025

Incident Code

USCAR250902a

Location

Aguas Internacionales, cerca de Trinidad y Tobago, International Waters, arriving to Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Sea
On September 2nd, 2025, U.S. President Trump announced that the U.S. military had killed at least 11 individuals in an operation on members of the Tren de Aragua cartel who were alleged to have been transporting drugs. The strike was conducted on a small boat in international waters between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, with…

Summary

Published
30 September 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Infrastructure
Vehicle (Boat)
Estimated fatalities
11
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

14 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-005

Location

Caribbean Sea

Notes

Vessel appeared stationary at time of strike Local reporting names two citizens of Trinidad and Tobago killed, one named Chad "Charpo" Jospeh the other known as "Samaroo"

Summary

Deaths Declared
6
Target Description
Un specified Designated Terrorist Organizations
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters just off the coast of Venezuela" - Donald Trump

Incident Date

16 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-006

Location

Caribbean Sea

Notes

Strike disclosed by US officials two days after the event Strike appears to be the first on a "narco sub" (semi-submersible vessel) Colombian Presient reports the survival and repatriation of one Colombian citizen, named by the President as Jason Obando Pérez, 34 years old. Colombian officials report that Pérez suffered brain injury in the attack, and was sedated and on a venilator as of October 18th. New York Times reports an additional survivor from Ecuador. Ecuadorian surivor is named Andrés Fernando Tufiño Chila, 41 years old per CNN and CBS reports.

Summary

Deaths Declared
2
Survivors Claimed
2
Target Description
Naco semi submersible vessel Four known narcoterrorists
Media Link
Location Description
"navigating towards the United States on a well known narcotrafficking transit route" - Donald Trump

Incident Date

17 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-007

Location

Caribbean Sea

Notes

Disclosed by US officials two days after the strike.

Summary

Deaths Declared
3
Target Description
Vessel affiliated with Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a Designated Terrorist Organization
Media Link
Location Description
"SOUTHCOM area of responsibility ....International waters" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

21 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-008

Location

Eastern Pacific

Notes

First strike in Eastern Pacific NYT adds "off Colombia's Pacific coast"

Summary

Deaths Declared
2
Target Description
Un specified Designated Terrorist Organizations
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters Eastern Pacific" - Pete Hegseth "off Colombia's Pacific coast" as reported by New York Times

Incident Date

22 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-009

Location

Eastern Pacific

Notes

Second strike in Eastern Pacific

Summary

Deaths Declared
3
Target Description
Un specified Designated Terrorist Organizations
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters Eastern Pacific" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

24 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-010

Location

Caribbean Sea

Notes

Timeline unclear from official reports (night time, so could be late 2025-10-23 or early 2025-10-24)

Summary

Deaths Declared
6
Target Description
Operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO)
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters Carribean Sea" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

27 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-011

Location

Eastern Pacific

Notes

Three strikes (different locations) involving four vessels. One strike involved two vessels that appear to have been transferring cargo. One surivor mentioned - post text makes it unclear which strike had a survivor

Summary

Deaths Declared
14
Survivors Claimed
1
Target Description
Un specified Designated Terrorist Organizations
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters Eastern Pacific" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

29 October 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-012

Location

Eastern Pacific

Summary

Deaths Declared
4
Target Description
operated by unspecified Designated Terrorist Organizations
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters Eastern Pacific" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

1 November 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-013

Location

Caribbean Sea

Notes

Night /low light strike Whole vessel is blurred/censored

Summary

Deaths Declared
3
Target Description
operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters Carribean Sea" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

4 November 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-014

Location

Eastern Pacific

Notes

Vessel interior blurred prior to explosion Four outboard motors visible on moving vessel

Summary

Deaths Declared
2
Target Description
operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO)
Media Link
Location Description
"international waters in the Eastern Pacific" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

6 November 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-015

Location

Caribbean Sea

Notes

Go-fast type vessel moving at speed Vessel occupants blurred out Appears to be laden with cargo

Summary

Deaths Declared
3
Target Description
operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization
Media Link
Location Description
"International waters Carribean Sea" - Pete Hegseth

Incident Date

9 November 2025

Preliminary Code

USSC-2025-016

Location

Eastern Pacific

Summary

Deaths Declared
6
Target Description
operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization
Media Link
Location Description
"international waters in the Eastern Pacific" - Pete Hegseth