The U.S. struck a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean on Sunday, the first strike in the area since early May.
The strike, conducted by the Joint Task Force Southern Spear, killed two men. Another six men survived the initial strike, with U.S. Coast Guard activating search and rescue operations. Rescue Coordination Center Venezuela took over the operations, according to an X post by Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
U.S. Southern Command’s post on X did not indicate where in the Caribbean the strike occurred, but it likely was off the coast of Venezuela because the country is now handling search and rescue operations.
With the two confirmed deaths, the total number of people killed in U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats is at 210, although the number could be higher as many of the survivors of strikes are presumed dead.
The Trump administration has said the suspected drug boats carrying illicit narcotic fentanyl and cocaine. It is not clear what effect the strikes are having on fatal overdoses in the United States.
The majority of fentanyl comes into the country via Mexico, while supplies often come from China, USNI News previously reported. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data suggest the strikes have had little effect on fatal overdose levels in 2025. Data are not available for 2026.
With the strike on Sunday, the U.S. has conducted 66 strikes since September 2025.
