U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that a U.S. drone strike destroyed a drug trafficking vessel linked to Colombia’s ELN group in the Caribbean on October 17, 2025. The operation targeted what officials described as a “narco-terrorist” boat, killing three individuals believed to be involved in transnational drug and terror activities.

Unclassified infrared footage released by the Pentagon shows the vessel moments before impact, followed by a massive explosion and the boat sinking beneath the waves. According to Hegseth, the strike demonstrates the administration’s ongoing commitment to combating global narcotics networks and their ties to extremist groups.

The ELN, or National Liberation Army, is one of Colombia’s most active armed organizations, long accused of funding its operations through drug trafficking. The U.S. strike marks a significant escalation in international efforts to dismantle such networks operating beyond South America’s shores.