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The offensive began on September 2, 2025, and since then, it has expanded from the Caribbean to the eastern Pacific with an increasing frequency and lethality of operations. Washington presents it as part of the war against drug trafficking and "narcoterrorism," while concerns grow over the use of military force in scenarios without a declaration of war and the lack of verifiable public evidence regarding several of the targeted operations. With key episodes in September, a spike in intensity in October, and new actions in November and December, various reports consolidate the toll of the crisis at 23 boats destroyed and 87 deaths, with 22 operations acknowledged across both theaters.
Chronology of U.S. Attacks in the Caribbean and the Pacific
Since September 2, 2025, the United States has launched a series of lethal attacks against vessels in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 23 boats destroyed and 87 fatalities, in an offensive presented as part of the war against drug trafficking and “narcoterrorism”.
Attacks in the Caribbean
September 2 – Attack 1 (Caribbean): The U.S. destroys a speedboat in Caribbean waters, marking the first operation in this series, and Trump claims that 11 members of the Tren de Aragua, who had come from Venezuela, were on board; all 11 die in the attack.
September 15 – Attack 2 (Caribbean): A second vessel is hit in international waters of the Caribbean, reported as a boat dedicated to drug trafficking from Venezuela to Central America, with 3 confirmed deaths.
September 19 – Attack 3 (Caribbean): Third attack against a boat in the Caribbean; Washington does not specify the departure port, but Dominican authorities report the seizure of part of the drug cargo, and the counts indicate a total of around twenty dead.
October 2 – Attack off the coast of Venezuela: The U.S. sinks an alleged drug trafficking boat in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, during an operation by Southern Command in which four suspected narcoterrorists are killed.
October 14 – Attack 5 (Caribbean): Near the coasts of Venezuela, U.S. forces attack another boat they link to "terrorist" organizations, resulting in 6 fatalities.
October 16 – Attack on the "narco-submarine": Meanwhile, Trump confirms that U.S. forces are attacking a submarine loaded with drugs in the Caribbean.
October 24 – Attack 7 (Caribbean): The U.S. reports a new attack on a boat allegedly operated by the Tren de Aragua.
Late October – Attacks 8 and 9 (Caribbean): As the Pacific front opens, one or two additional attacks are recorded in the Caribbean, bringing the total number of boats destroyed in that area to 10 and the death toll to around 44, according to the count by media that consolidate the 19 initial attacks.
November 1 – Global Attack 14/15 (Caribbean): Another boat is bombed in the Caribbean Sea, with 3 fatalities described as drug traffickers.
November 6 – Global Attack 18/19 (Caribbean): The most recent known lethal operation in the Caribbean up to that date raises the total number of attacks in that area to 10, with 44 fatalities.
Attacks in the Eastern Pacific
October 21 – First attack in the Pacific: The Armed Forces of the United States carry out a lethal strike against a vessel in the eastern Pacific, in international waters, resulting in the deaths of two alleged narco-terrorists.
October 23 – Global Attack 9 (Pacific 2): In the same Pacific theater, another vessel is attacked and 3 people die.
October 24 – Operation 10 Global (Pacific 3): A new operation in the Pacific contributes to the tally, which now counts 10 boats destroyed and 43 dead between the Caribbean and the Pacific.
October 27 – Global Attacks 11–13 (Pacific 4–7): In one of the deadliest days, the U.S. attacks three times and sinks four vessels in the Eastern Pacific, resulting in 14 fatalities.
October 29 – Narco-boat explosion in the Pacific: Four alleged drug traffickers killed following a U.S. military attack in the eastern Pacific.
November 9 – Global Attack 19 (Pacific 9): Two "twin" attacks occur against two boats in the eastern Pacific, each with 3 crew members; all 6 die, bringing the total to 19 attacks, 20 vessels destroyed, and 76 fatalities.
November 15 – Swift Attack on Boat in the Pacific: On November 15, the U.S. sinks a narcoterrorist boat in the Pacific and kills its three occupants, as part of a campaign that, according to official figures cited by CiberCuba, has already led to the destruction of 20 vessels and the elimination of 75 alleged narcoterrorists.
December 4 – New Attack in International Waters: In December, another attack by the U.S. against a ship takes place in international waters, marking the escalation into the most aggressive phase of the campaign.
Updated balance and context
The latest updates raise the toll to 23 boats destroyed, 87 dead, and an escalating crisis in the Caribbean and the Pacific, with 22 operations acknowledged between both theaters.
Beyond the count of sunken boats and dead, the campaign marks a turning point: an open militarization of the anti-drug fight at sea, with a direct impact on the region and a rising human cost. While the White House reinforces its narrative of "narcoterrorism," uncomfortable questions pile up: Under what legal framework are the attacks carried out? What rules of engagement are applied? What might be the "exit" for Nicolás Maduro? Will there be a military escalation? How will the Trump administration define "success"?
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