US strike on an alleged drug boat kills 2 in the eastern Pacific Ocean

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US strike on an alleged drug boat kills 2 in the eastern Pacific Ocean

2026-06-04 09:46 Last Updated At：09:50

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military attacked a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, killing two men, as the Trump administration wages a monthslong campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America.

The latest attack brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 207 since the administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.

As with most of the military’s statements on 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 speeding through the water before bursting into flames.

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 strikes have drawn intense scrutiny from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal scholars. The U.S. military’s first strike in early September drew particular concern from some lawmakers and those who study military law.

Two men on the boat initially survived the attack that killed nine others, and they were clinging to the wreckage when the vessel was struck again, killing them. The White House confirmed the follow-up strike, insisting it was done “in self-defense” to ensure the boat was destroyed and in accordance with the laws of armed conflict. But some legal scholars said a second strike killing survivors would have been illegal under any circumstance, armed conflict or not.

The Pentagon’s watchdog said in May that it plans to look into whether the U.S. military followed an established targeting framework when carrying out the strikes. However, the evaluation is focused specifically on what’s known as the six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle and not on the legality of the strikes, the inspector general’s office said.

England’s Robinson takes 4-10 as New Zealand slumps to 61-6 at Lord’s

LONDON (AP) — New Zealand was reeling at 61-6 after bowling out England for 140 during a chaotic first day of fast bowling in the Lord's test on Thursday.

England's Ollie Robinson had head-shaking figures of 4-10 from six overs at stumps, including three wickets in his first over in a test since February 2024.

Robinson snatched the spotlight from New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson, who took 5-62 in his first test since February 2024, too.

Murky and overcast conditions suited the pacers. There was not one over of spin. The stadium lights were turned on at 2:30 p.m. and remained on, and they were still not bright enough to prevent bad light prompting an early tea and early stumps.

England supporters were subdued after their side was dismissed in 39.4 overs, but Robinson brought them to life when he struck with just his third delivery then his fifth and sixth.

Devon Conway was pinned on the front pad, Kane Williamson popped up the ball to short leg, and Rachin Ravindra was trapped on his back leg. Umpire Rod Tucker, in his 100th test, raised his right finger three times and two of the outs were on umpire's call.

“Feels a bit surreal, I couldn't have dreamt being back,” Robinson told broadcaster Sky Sports. “It was so loud. I was in a bit of a daze and just trying to focus. The crowd were amazing, it's one of the loudest I've heard them here."

Gus Atkinson joined the party to remove New Zealand captain Tom Latham for 3 at 12-4 and Robinson returned to knock over Daryl Mitchell's off stump.

Tom Blundell's off stump was also smashed, conceding the sixth wicket to Josh Tongue. New Zealand could be consoled in only that it already had 29 runs, thus avoiding its world record low test total of 26 from 1955.

Glenn Phillips was leading the counterattack in the evening with 31 not out at stumps, but he was New Zealand's last recognized batter.

Most of the day belonged to New Zealand.

Latham won the toss and didn't hesitate to unleash his full-strength pace attack with 2.07-meter (6-foot-8) Jamieson bowling alongside 1.97-meter (6-foot-4) Will O'Rourke for the first time after back injuries.

Attack leader Matt Henry bowled the first delivery of the match but he suffered a back spasm and contributed only four overs.

But a two-hour rain delay through lunch and a one-hour delay for bad light and rain through tea helped Jamieson, O'Rourke and fourth seamer Nathan Smith rest and recuperate and rout England. Jamieson and O'Rourke found some swing and extra bounce and Smith moved the ball both ways.

Emilio Gay on debut was the only wicket to fall in the 10 overs allowed in the morning when he nicked Jamieson to first slip. After lunch, England collapsed from 31-1 to 34-4. Smith struck Ben Duckett plumb on the back leg and O'Rourke removed Jacob Bethell and Joe Root, who edged behind on 1.

O'Rourke should have added Brook on 8 in his next over but the ball blew through Conway's hands at backward point.

Jamie Smith shouldered arms to a come-backer by Jamieson and had his off stump smashed and Brook finally found a partner in captain Ben Stokes on his 35th birthday. But just as their partnership was starting to flourish, Stokes fell to a magnificent one-handed catch by Williamson in the slips.

Brook was dropped again on 45 by Ravindra on the square leg boundary and reached his fifty off 64 balls with his ninth boundary. But Brook got himself out, hitting Nathan Smith straight to fine leg.

Robinson was Jamieson's fifth wicket, his first test five-for since he led New Zealand to the inaugural World Test Championship title in 2021 against India in Southampton.

The last pair of Tongue and Shoaib Bashir, with a career-best 14 runs, added 22 runs that looked even more precious by stumps.

Jamieson had five wickets, Smith three and O'Rourke two, but the good vibes they produced were long gone by the end of the day.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket