President Donald Trump has justified the vessel strikes by asserting that the United States is in an armed conflict with Latin American drug cartels to stop illegal drug flows.

From the articleUS Military's Drug-Boat Strikes Have Now Killed At Least 240 PeopleAlso in US military says strike on alleged drug vessel in eastern Pacific kills five people, U.S. military destroys alleged drug boat in Pacific Ocean, killing 5 people, US strike kills five on alleged drug-smuggling boat