WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it carried out a strike Wednesday on a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing four people, as the Trump administration pushes forward with a monthslong campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America while waging a war against Iran.
The latest attack brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 163 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.
As with most of the military’s statements on the dozens of strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. A video posted on X showed a boat moving across the water before it was engulfed in a bright explosion.
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”
Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.
The boat strikes have continued in Latin America even as the U.S. military has focused on operations in the Middle East, where American warships and planes have been pounding Iran with strikes and additional Marines plus soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division are either preparing to deploy or on their way to the region.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona moved closer to a record-extending eighth straight semifinal in the Women’s Champions League with a 6-2 rout of Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarterfinals on Wednesday, while Manchester United made its last-eight debut with a 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich at Old Trafford.
Ewa Pajor scored twice, and Esmee Brugts, Irene Paredes, Vicky López and Alexia Putellas added a goal each in Madrid to take the Catalan club a step closer to the last four.
Linda Caicedo scored a goal in each half for Madrid, which will need a big comeback in Barcelona next week to make it to its first semifinal.
Barcelona, a three-time champion, has reached the final in five straight seasons. It lost last year's final to Arsenal, which on Tuesday defeated English rival Chelsea 3-1 in their first leg of their quarterfinal.
Also Tuesday, Wolfsburg took a 1-0 lead over record eight-time champion Lyonnes in a meeting of two of the competition’s most storied names.
Barcelona topped the league phase with an unbeaten campaign that included 20 goals scored and three against. Madrid, in its second consecutive quarterfinal, was eliminated by Arsenal in the last eight last season. If finished seventh in the league phase.
“We came here to play a good match and win, and we’ve done just that," Paredes said. "It’s a good result. We’ll prepare just as thoroughly for the second leg because we want to perform just as well. The coaching staff prepared very well and we executed it very well. When things go your way so early on, it helps. We have to be happy. We’re a team that wants to win everything, always.”
Barcelona was leading 2-0 at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium with goals by Pajor and Brugts before Caicedo pulled the hosts closer in the 30th.
Paredes, Pajor and López scored for Barcelona again for a 5-1 advantage before Caicedo’s second goal in the 66th. Putellas then converted an 89th-minute penalty kick.
“Everything went wrong today," Madrid coach Pau Quesada said. "The team fell apart after the first goal. We then found ourselves 2-1 down and it looked like we were making a comeback, but the next goal from a set piece finished us off. The gap to Barça is what it is. They’ve got that extra gear and we have to match it. On the day you don’t, this is what happens to you.”
Man United's first quarterfinal appearance started with Bayern taking the lead with a goal by Pernille Harder two minutes into the match.
United equalized with a penalty kick converted by Maya Le Tissier in the 24th. Harder struck again in the 71st for her seventh goal in Bayern's European campaign this season.
The hosts evened the match again with Hanna Lundkvist in the 76th and Momoko Tanikawa put Bayern back ahead in the 84th.
United is in its first European experience since a defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in qualifying in the 2023-24 season. Bayern recovered from a 7-1 loss at Barcelona at the start of the league phase to finish fourth and qualify for the quarterfinals for the eighth time in 10 seasons.
Bayern is trying to reach its first semifinal since 2020-21.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester United's Maya Le Tissier, center, celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot during the Women's Champions League match between Manchester United and Bayern Munich in Manchester, England, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Bayern Munich's Pernille Harder, right, scores their side's first goal of the game during the Women's Champions League match between Manchester United and Bayern Munich in Manchester, England, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Real Madrid's Naomie Feller, center, heads the ball during the women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Vicky Lopez scores her side's fifth goal during the women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Patri Guijarro, left, runs with the ball during the women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona players celebrate after Ewa Pajor scored the opening goal during the women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona players celebrate after Esmee Brugts scored her side's second goal during the women's Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Wolfburg's Lineth Beerensteyn, right, dribbles past Lyon's Damaris Egurrola during their Champions League quarter-finals, first leg soccer match in Wolfsburg, Germany, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Swen Pfortner/dpa via AP)
Wolfburg's Lineth Beerensteyn, left, celebrates after scoring with teammate Camilla Kuever during their Champions League quarter-finals, first leg soccer match in Wolfsburg, Germany, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Swen Pfortner/dpa via AP)
Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius, left, celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Women's Champions League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea in London, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
