By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. military expanded its counter-drug campaign and carried out a strike against a suspected drug vessel late on Tuesday in Pacific Ocean waters off South America, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The strike is the first known U.S. military operation in the Pacific since the Trump administration started a new offensive against the drug trade that has led to at least seven strikes in the Caribbean and dramatically raised U.S. tensions with Venezuela and Colombia.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not provide further details but said there were several people – suspected to be smugglers – on the vessel when it was struck.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The latest s

See Full Page