A series of U.S. strikes against suspected drug vessels in the eastern Pacific killed 14 alleged drug traffickers and left one survivor, U.S. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday (October 28), the latest operation in President Donald Trump's counter-drug campaign.

In a social media post, Hegseth said Mexican authorities took over the search-and-rescue operation for the lone survivor from the three strikes, which took place on Monday. Hegseth posted a roughly 30-second video, which appeared to show two vessels close together in the water before exploding. Another part of the video showed a vessel moving in the water before exploding. Reuters was not able to independently verify the location or the date when the video was filmed. Upon checking this footage, no old results were found.

The strikes followed at least 10 others in the Caribbean and Pacific since early September, in a campaign that has raised U.S. tensions with Venezuela and Colombia. Trump has also authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.

The Pentagon has provided little information about any of the strikes, including the quantity of drugs the boats allegedly carried and the identities of those killed.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

GIVEN AS EASTERN PACIFIC (RELEASED OCTOBER 28, 2025) (SECRETARY OF WAR PETE HEGSETH VIA X - Broadcast: Must on-screen courtesy Secretary of War Pete Hegseth via X Digital: Must on-screen courtesy Secretary of War Pete Hegseth via X)

1. VARIOUS OF VIDEO SHARED BY U.S. SECRETARY OF WAR PETE HEGSETH , SAID TO SHOW U.S. STRIKES ON FOUR VESSELS IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC