A United Nations investigation has determined that American military operations targeting vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific have breached international law and may constitute crimes against humanity, according to findings released by UN Special Rapporteur Ben Saul. The report documented at least 68 strikes conducted outside US territorial waters since September 2025, resulting in more than 220 deaths, with the US military reporting an additional strike on September 20 that killed four people in the Caribbean, bringing the campaign to at least 69 strikes and 231 deaths.
Saul's analysis concluded that even where targets could be identified as members of designated terrorist organisations, they had not launched an armed assault against the United States that would justify a self-defence response under international law. The report stated that
such attacks amount to serial extrajudicial killings in violation of the right to life, being unjustified in national or personal self-defence or under international humanitarian law, the international law of the sea, narcotics suppression conventions, or international counter-terrorism law.
In his formal conclusion, Saul asserted that
there are reasonable grounds to believe that the reported 68 attacks that killed 223 people constituted crimes against humanity of murder under customary international law. The special rapporteur further rejected the characterisation of the targeted crews as militarily armed, writing that
even assuming that the vessels and crew attacked were members of the criminal groups listed as terrorist, such organizations have not mounted any 'armed attack' on the United States so as to trigger a right of self-defence.
What does the US military say about these operations?
The US Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the region, has defended the strikes as targeting narco-traffickers. Following the most recent attack, Southcom stated that
confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel's active involvement in narco-trafficking. The operation killed four narco-terrorists, accompanying the statement with video footage of the strike. However, the US has not identified the victims or provided details about the alleged intelligence that supposedly confirmed their involvement in drug trafficking.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has characterised the overall campaign, known as Operation Southern Spear, as aimed at removing
narco-terrorists from our hemisphereand protecting the United States from
the drugs that are killing our people. The operation commenced in early September 2025. President Donald Trump has claimed the strikes amount to self-defence against designated terrorist organisations and have stopped 97% of all illegal drugs entering the US by sea, though according to Reuters, the attacks have had limited impact on the volume of cocaine entering the US.
Officials have not released definitive evidence demonstrating that the targeted vessels were engaged in trafficking activities. According to ABC News, independent analysts have raised questions about the verification procedures used to identify targets.
What do independent monitors say about the strike count?
Discrepancies exist between different tallies of the operation's scope. While the UN report cited 68 strikes and 223 deaths, InSight Crime's strike tracker listed 77 strikes and 230 killed as of September 17, 2026, suggesting variations in how different organisations count and verify individual incidents. The Washington Office on Latin America has reported figures of 234 people killed in 66 attacks, further illustrating the difficulty in establishing precise casualty counts.
What legal concerns have been raised?
Since the campaign's inception, legal experts and international bodies have questioned the strikes' compliance with international law. The UN human rights chief had already condemned the operations as unacceptable and called for prompt, independent and transparent investigations into the deaths. On September 2, 2026, according to Stars and Stripes, UN-appointed experts renewed calls for an independent investigation and stated that victims' families are entitled to compensation and guarantees that such operations will not be repeated. The experts emphasised that the strikes raise fundamental questions about due process and the right to life under international human rights law.
How have regional leaders responded?
The strikes initially drew strong criticism from Latin American leaders whose citizens have been killed in the operations. However, the political landscape has shifted. Nicolás Maduro, who led Venezuela when the campaign began and opposed the strikes, was apprehended by US forces in a controversial night-time raid on Caracas at the beginning of this year. Gustavo Petro, Colombia's left-wing president at the time and another vocal critic of Operation Southern Spear, stood down in August after a Trump-backed candidate won June's presidential election.
What happens next?
The UN report has been submitted to the Human Rights Council, but no specific hearing or decision date has been publicly identified. The White House and State Department have been contacted for their response to Saul's findings, though formal replies have not yet been released.
Key Facts:
- UN Special Rapporteur Ben Saul concluded that at least 68 US strikes outside territorial waters killed more than 220 people and may constitute crimes against humanity of murder under customary international law
- The US military characterises the operation as targeting narco-terrorists but has not provided definitive evidence that targeted vessels were engaged in trafficking or identified the victims
- Independent strike trackers report varying totals, with counts ranging from 66 to 77 strikes and 223 to 234 deaths as of mid-September 2026
- UN experts have called for independent investigation, compensation for victims' families, and guarantees of non-repetition
- Political opposition to the campaign in the region has diminished following leadership changes in Venezuela and Colombia
