Pentagon watchdog reviews deadly strikes on alleged drug boats

The Pentagon's internal watchdog has opened a review of US Southern Command operations including strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean that have targeted nearly 60 boats and killed more than 190 people since September, according to a May 11 letter. The evaluation will examine whether the command adhered to approved targeting procedures, a spokesperson told CNN.

The review covers "the joint process for targeted vessels" in the command's area of responsibility as part of Operation Southern Spear, the Pentagon's anti-drug trafficking initiative, the spokesperson added. The office said the project was self-initiated based on its ongoing assessment of operations.

Legal scrutiny

Legal scholars, lawmakers, and some Pentagon military attorneys have raised concerns about the campaign. The inspector general's office noted that the full extent of what the review will examine remains unclear.

Operation Southern Spear

The strikes have been conducted under Operation Southern Spear since last September, targeting vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters. President Donald Trump's administration has defended the operations by arguing that the United States is engaged in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels and has classified those killed as enemy combatants.

The review comes as US Southern Command continues its maritime interdiction efforts under the operation launched at the start of last autumn. Washington has maintained that the strikes are lawful under the laws of armed conflict despite criticism from human rights observers.