US Strike Kills Two on Pacific Drug Boat

Donovan tied the strike to the task force he stood up for exactly this purpose. "When I ordered the establishment of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, it was precisely for this purpose: to accelerate, synchronize, and execute lethal actions against these destabilizing narco-terrorist networks," he said. "We are committed to imposing total systemic friction on narco-terrorists — disrupting their operations, dismantling their leadership, and eliminating cartel terror across the region."

"Let me be clear, we will not permit narco-terrorists to operate with impunity in the Western Hemisphere, nor will we allow their deadly poison to reach American communities," Donovan said, according to the Washington Examiner. "This operation is a powerful demonstration of our lethal precision, overwhelming capability, and absolute resolve to protect the U.S. homeland."

Kaine, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged President Donald Trump to "examine the circumstances of these strikes" and to end what he called an "illegal, costly and ineffective" operation, CNN reported.

Some members of Congress and human rights groups have questioned the legal basis for the campaign and argued that suspected drug traffickers should be prosecuted, as was US policy before Trump took office, CNN reported. Law enforcement officials and experts have also voiced skepticism that the strikes are changing the region's drug trade.