Thu Oct 23 19:30:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and rewritten news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

The Trump administration has escalated its anti-drug trafficking campaign in South America, conducting multiple military strikes against vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. These strikes, resulting in numerous deaths, mark an expansion of the military’s operational area and a shift towards the waters off South America, a major cocaine smuggling route. The administration justifies these actions as an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, drawing parallels to the war on terrorism. However, the strikes have drawn criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who question the legal justification and lack of congressional authorization. The legality of the strikes is being debated with some Republicans supporting the administration.

News Article:

U.S. Military Strikes Drug Vessels in Pacific, Sparking Legal Debate

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. military has dramatically escalated its campaign against drug trafficking in South America, launching a series of strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the latest strike, on Wednesday, resulted in the deaths of three individuals. The action comes after a previous strike Tuesday night that killed two others.

These strikes, which bring the total death toll to at least 37 in the last month, mark a significant expansion of the U.S. military’s targeting area, moving operations from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific waters off the coast of South America.

President Trump has defended the strikes as necessary for national security, asserting the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. He has likened the cartels to Al Qaeda, echoing the language used during the War on Terror. “We have legal authority. We’re allowed to do that,” Trump stated. He even suggested similar actions could eventually occur on land.

The administration’s actions have triggered a heated debate in Washington. Lawmakers from both parties have voiced concerns about the lack of congressional authorization and the legal justification for the strikes. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called the actions reckless and potentially illegal. “Expanding the geography simply expands the lawlessness,” he said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the strikes. “If people want to stop seeing drug boats blow up, stop sending drugs to the United States.”

The escalating military presence in the Caribbean and off the coast of Venezuela has also raised speculation about potential U.S. intervention in Venezuela, whose president, Nicolás Maduro, faces narcoterrorism charges in the U.S.

While the administration claims the strikes are aimed at stopping the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, experts point out that most fentanyl is smuggled overland from Mexico, while the eastern Pacific is primarily used for cocaine trafficking from countries like Colombia and Peru.

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