According to US defense officials, the operation targeted suspected smuggling or trafficking vessels operating in international waters across the Caribbean Sea. Authorities said the mission was part of an expanded enforcement campaign aimed at curbing narcotics trafficking, illegal arms movement and human smuggling routes.
The US Navy and Coast Guard have increased patrols in the region in recent months, citing intelligence assessments of rising maritime activity linked to organized crime networks. Officials argue the operations are conducted under international maritime law and are intended to disrupt transnational criminal operations.
However, the mounting death toll has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, which question the proportional use of force and call for greater transparency regarding engagement rules and casualty verification. Advocacy groups have urged the administration to release detailed operational reports.
Regional governments in the Caribbean have reacted cautiously. Some officials support closer security cooperation with Washington to address trafficking and piracy. Others have privately raised concerns about sovereignty and the humanitarian impact of armed interdictions at sea.
The US Department of Defense has not released the identities or nationalities of those killed in the latest strike, and it remains unclear how many of the 133 deaths were confirmed combatants versus civilian maritime operators.
Investigations into the most recent operation are ongoing as maritime patrols continue across the Caribbean basin.