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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 sequence of increasingly frequent and lethal operations. Washington describes 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 publicly verifiable evidence regarding several of the attacked targets. With key episodes in September, a surge in intensity in October, and new actions in November and December, various reports consolidate the crisis with a toll of 23 boats destroyed and 87 dead, along with 22 recognized operations between 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 during the first operation of this series, and Trump claims that there were 11 members of the Tren de Aragua from Venezuela on board; all 11 die in the attack.
September 15 – Attack 2 (Caribbean): A second vessel is struck in international waters of the Caribbean, identified as a boat dedicated to drug trafficking from Venezuela to Central America, with 3 confirmed dead.
September 19 – Attack 3 (Caribbean): Third attack against a boat in the Caribbean; Washington does not specify the port of departure, but Dominican authorities indicate the seizure of part of the drug cargo, and reports suggest that the total number of deaths is close to twenty.
October 2 – Attack off the coast of Venezuela: The U.S. sinks an alleged drug boat in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, in an operation by Southern Command in which four suspected narco-terrorists are killed.
October 14 – Attack 5 (Caribbean): Near the shores of Venezuela, U.S. forces attack another boat linked to “terrorist” organizations, resulting in 6 deaths.
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 against a boat allegedly operated by the Tren de Aragua.
End of 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 fatalities to approximately 44, according to the count from media consolidating the 19 initial attacks.
November 1 – Global Attack 14/15 (Caribbean): Another boat is bombarded in the Caribbean Sea, with 3 dead described as drug traffickers.
November 6 – Global Attack 18/19 (Caribbean): The last 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 United States Armed Forces carry out a lethal attack against a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, in international waters, resulting in the deaths of two suspected narco-terrorists.
October 23 – Global Attack 9 (Pacific 2): In the same theater of the Pacific, another vessel is attacked and 3 people die.
October 24 – Global Attack 10 (Pacific 3): A new operation in the Pacific is added to the tally that now totals 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. launches three attacks and sinks four vessels in the eastern Pacific, resulting in 14 fatalities.
October 29 – Narcolancha Exploded in the Pacific: Four alleged drug traffickers die 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, with 3 crew members on each; all 6 die, bringing the total to 19 attacks, 20 vessels destroyed, and 76 dead.
November 15 – Swift Attack on a Boat in the Pacific: On November 15, the U.S. sinks a drug terror boat in the Pacific and kills its three occupants, as part of a campaign that, according to official figures cited by CiberCuba, has already resulted in 20 vessels destroyed and 75 alleged drug terrorists killed.
December 4 – New Attack in International Waters: In December, another U.S. attack against a ship occurs in international waters, part of the already more aggressive phase of the campaign.
Updated balance and context
The latest updates raise the tally to 23 boats destroyed, 87 dead, and an escalating crisis in the Caribbean and the Pacific, with 22 operations acknowledged across both theaters.
Beyond the tally of sunk boats and casualties, the campaign marks a turning point: an open militarization of the anti-drug struggle at sea, with a direct impact on the region and a human cost that continues to rise. 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 apply? What could be the “exit” for Nicolás Maduro? Will there be a military escalation? How will the Trump administration define “success”?
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