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The strikes occurred approximately 400 miles off the coast of Acapulco, in international waters close to Mexican territory. This proximity to Mexican waters is critically significant because under international maritime law, US military actions in these zones become legally complex, especially when conducted unilaterally without coordination or consent from the host nation. The US government asserts that these vessels were known drug traffickers following established routes, justifying the strikes under a preemptive, wartime framework rather than traditional law enforcement procedures.