{"id":2502018,"date":"2025-10-22T17:18:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T21:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pete-hegseth-announces-another-deadly-strike-against-a-drug-vessel-this-time-in-the-pacific\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T17:20:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T21:20:20","slug":"pete-hegseth-announces-another-deadly-strike-against-a-drug-vessel-this-time-in-the-pacific","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pete-hegseth-announces-another-deadly-strike-against-a-drug-vessel-this-time-in-the-pacific\/","title":{"rendered":"Pete Hegseth Announces Another Deadly Strike Against a Drug Vessel, This Time in the Pacific"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpete-hegseth-announces-another-deadly-strike-against-a-drug-vessel-this-time-in-the-pacific%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2502018&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Teh U.S. military carried out its eighth strike on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-posts-footage-of-lethal-kinetic-strike-against-narcoterrorists-in-international-waters\/\" title=\"Trump Posts Footage of &#039;...&#039; Against Narcoterrorists in International Waters\">suspected drug trafficking vessel<\/a>, this time in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two peopel, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Previous strikes targeted vessels in the Caribbean, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-raskin-falsely-claims-7-people-died-in-capitol-protest\/\" title=\"Rep. Raskin falsely claims 7 people died in capitol protest\">total death toll<\/a> from these operations has reached at least 34. The strike was conducted under the direction of President Donald Trump, who justifies these actions by declaring an &#8220;armed conflict&#8221; with drug cartels, using legal authority similar to that employed in the post-9\/11 war on terror. Hegseth equated the drug cartels to terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, framing them as enemies waging war on U.S. borders. despite the lethal strikes, the Trump governance has notably avoided prosecuting survivors returned to their home countries, with some officials, such as in Ecuador, stating no evidence of crimes was found against those individuals.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The U.S. military conducted its eighth strike against an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >alleged drug vessel<\/a>, killing two people, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>The Tuesday night strike occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The seven previous strikes all targeted vessels in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n<p>According to Hegseth in a social media post, the strike killed two people, bringing the death toll from all the strikes to at least 34 people.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/admiral-overseeing-southern-command-steps-down-amid-strikes-on-narco-terrorists-in-the-caribbean\/\" title=\"Admiral Overseeing Southern Command Steps Down Amid ...s on Narco-Terrorists in the Caribbean\">lethal kinetic strike<\/a> on a vessel being operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization and conducting narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.<\/p>\n<p>The vessel was known by our intelligence to be&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BayDhUZ4Ac\">pic.twitter.com\/BayDhUZ4Ac<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecWar\/status\/1981049943306752361?\">October 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>  <script> console.log(\"A\/B Test Video Player\"); 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        }          \/\/ Add custom styles for STN player         const style=document.createElement('style');         style.textContent=`         #videoPlayer {             min-height: 460px;             margin-bottom: 10px;         }         @media only screen and (max-width: 780px) {             #videoPlayer {                 min-height: 200px;             }         }         `;         document.head.appendChild(style);          \/\/ Add needed div for STN player         const stnDiv=document.createElement(\"div\");         \/\/ add data-stn-player attribute         stnDiv.setAttribute(\"data-stn-player\", \"s28Az7AY\");         document.getElementById(\"videoPlayer\").appendChild(stnDiv);           \/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #videoPlayer and observe it         let paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#videoPlayer\", 2);         observeElement(paragraphToObserve);     }); }  \/\/ Assign user to a group window.adUserGroup=assignSplitTestGroup(); let isSubbed=getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ); 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Several seconds into the video, the boat explodes and is seen floating motionless on the water in flames.<\/p>\n<p>In his post, Hegseth took the unusual step of equating the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/surprise-alleged-drug-traffickers-released-on-cashless-bail-dont-show-up-to-court\/\" title=\"Surprise: Alleged Drug Traffickers Released on Cashless Bail Don&#039;t Show Up to Court\">alleged drug traffickers<\/a> to the group behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,&rdquo; Hegseth said, adding, &ldquo;there will be no refuge or forgiveness &mdash; only justice.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e\">an &ldquo;armed conflict&rdquo;<\/a> with drug cartels and is relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush&rsquo;s administration when it declared a war on terrorism after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Trump administration has also <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/pentagon-military-strikes-drugs-caribbean-ecuador-colombia-c1d4c025e1dfe21cc7ee67d7aa4e05bd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sidestepped prosecuting any of the occupants<\/a> of the alleged drug-running vessels after it returned two survivors of an earlier strike to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ecuadorian officials later said<\/a> that they released the man who was returned to their country, saying they had no evidence he had committed a crime in their country.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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This strike took place Tuesday night in the eastern Pacific Ocean, while the previous seven strikes targeted vessels in the Caribbean. Hegseth stated on social media that the latest strike caused two fatalities<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2502019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/7484a1d708064384984727fbf2a06fb0-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[65712,62573,36808,18160,44930],"class_list":["post-2502018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-deadly-strike","tag-drug-vessel","tag-military-action","tag-pacific","tag-pete-hegseth"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/7484a1d708064384984727fbf2a06fb0-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2502018"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2502022,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502018\/revisions\/2502022"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2502019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2502018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2502018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2502018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}