Controversy Escalates Over U.S. Military Strikes in Eastern Pacific

The U.S. military announced on Wednesday a strike on a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, resulting in three fatalities. The operation, carried out under President Donald Trump's administration, is said to target vessels associated with narcotics trafficking.

The U.S. Southern Command reported that intelligence indicated the struck vessel was traveling along known drug trafficking routes and was operated by unidentified 'Designated Terrorist Organizations.' The command confirmed that no U.S. forces were harmed in the action.

Criticism has emerged from both national and international human rights organizations. They argue that such military actions, resulting in over 170 deaths since September, could be considered illegal extrajudicial killings. Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union have challenged the legality and substantiation of the U.S. administration's claims.

(With inputs from agencies.)