The Pentagon's inspector general has launched an evaluation of the U.S. military's adherence to established targeting protocols during operations against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in Latin American waters, a campaign that has resulted in nearly 200 deaths since early September as part of the administration's declared war on cartels.
The evaluation will examine whether military commanders followed the six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle during attacks on dozens of boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, according to a May 11 letter to Defense Department officials. The phases include a military commander's intent, target development, analysis, decision, execution and assessment.
Scope of Operations
The Pentagon inspector general's office said in a statement Tuesday that the review was "self-initiated" and that it would not provide a timeline for when it would be completed. The evaluation will not probe the legality of the strikes, which have drawn intense scrutiny from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal scholars.
The Trump administration says the U.S. is at war against the Latin American drug cartels, which it says are responsible for the scourge of fatal drug overdoses plaguing many American communities. The administration's campaign of blowing up small boats accused of drug trafficking has persisted since early September and killed at least 193 people in total. U.S. Southern Command said one person survived the latest attack on May 8, but it is not clear if the Coast Guard was able to find and rescue the survivor, which would raise the death toll.
Intelligence and Targeting Questions
The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs, repeatedly pointing in social media posts to intelligence confirming they were "transiting along known narco-trafficking routes." 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.
Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said in December that the survivors were "basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water — until the missiles come and kill 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.
Why This Matters:
The inspector general's evaluation represents a crucial institutional check on military operations conducted under the administration's anti-cartel campaign, ensuring that established targeting procedures designed to protect both operational effectiveness and legal compliance are being followed. With drug overdoses continuing to devastate American communities, the military's role in disrupting cartel trafficking networks raises fundamental questions about rules of engagement, intelligence standards, and the balance between aggressive interdiction and procedural safeguards. The review's focus on process rather than legality suggests the Pentagon is examining whether commanders are utilizing proper frameworks for target selection and strike authorization, even as the broader policy of treating cartels as wartime enemies continues. The outcome could influence how future counter-narcotics operations are conducted and whether additional oversight mechanisms are needed when military force is employed against non-state criminal organizations in international waters.