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Oil prices fell on Thursday.
The West Texas Intermediate for March delivery dropped 1.26 U.S. dollars, or 2.08 percent, to settle at 59.36 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for March delivery decreased by 1.18 dollars, or 1.81 percent, to settle at 64.06 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.
Crude futures settle lower
The U.S. military reported on Friday that it struck an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific, marking the first known strike of its kind since the U.S. raid on Venezuela on January 3.
Two people were killed in the latest strike and one survived, the U.S. Southern Command said in a post on X.
"Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," said the command.
The U.S. military has sunk over 30 alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific since September 2025, resulting in more than 110 deaths.
US strikes alleged drug boats in eastern Pacific, killing two
US strikes alleged drug boats in eastern Pacific, killing two
