US conducted 20th strike on alleged drug trafficking boat earlier this week

79 people have been killed and two wounded in the strikes in the Caribbean, a Pentagon official says

FILE PHOTO: The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, DC, US, Mar 3, 2022. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

The United States on Monday conducted its 20th strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat, a Pentagon official said on Thursday.

"The strike occurred in the Caribbean and four narco-terrorists were killed, no survivors," the official said.

The official said 79 people have been killed and two were wounded and repatriated to their home countries, while there was one attempted rescue at sea by Mexican authorities as a result of the strikes.

The US strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coasts of Latin America have killed dozens of people, who President Donald Trump's administration calls drug-trafficking terrorists responsible for thousands of deaths in the United States, without providing evidence.

The US government has not publicly explained the legal justification for its decision to attack the boats.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday pushed back against criticism from some US allies over the legality of the strikes, saying Europeans don't get to dictate how Washington defends its national security.