The United States announced on Monday that its Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a deadly strike in the eastern Pacific's international waters, resulting in the sinking of three vessels and the deaths of eight individuals suspected of being "narco-terrorists."
This operation was directly ordered by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and commanded by the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), as confirmed in an official statement shared on social media platform X.
According to the official report, the action occurred on December 15 and involved "lethal kinetic strikes" against three vessels. U.S. intelligence identified these as being operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations and traveling a known drug trafficking route.
Details of the Operation
SOUTHCOM revealed that eight men in total perished: three on the first vessel, two on the second, and three on the third. Washington classified all of them as "narco-terrorists."
The military report does not mention any captures or rescues, indicating that the mission was purely lethal, executed on the high seas.
Southern Spear Campaign Intensifies
This attack adds to a series of recent operations by Task Force Southern Spear targeting vessels linked to drug trafficking in both the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean.
In November, the U.S. reported a similar strike where a boat was destroyed and its three occupants were killed, also on a common smuggling route. At that time, Washington stated the campaign had resulted in over twenty destroyed vessels and numerous deaths among those involved in illicit drug trafficking.
Another subsequent attack on a ship in international waters followed the same operational pattern: identification of the suspect vessel, use of lethal force, and no detainees to face judicial proceedings.
Political Context: An Open War Against Cartels
The Southern Spear operations are part of the military offensive launched by the Trump administration against drug cartels, under the mission dubbed "Southern Spear."
Trump declared a "non-international armed conflict" against these criminal organizations, labeling fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction" and ordering the use of "all available resources" to combat them.
Simultaneously, SOUTHCOM has ramped up its military presence in the region, deploying warships, aircraft carriers, and amphibious units to the Caribbean, along with live-fire exercises and increased aerial patrols near countries like Venezuela.
The latest strike in the eastern Pacific reinforces the continuation of this strategy: a sustained military campaign employing lethal force in international waters without judicial processes for the suspects killed.
Understanding the U.S. Campaign Against Narco-Terrorism
What was the purpose of the U.S. operation in the eastern Pacific?
The operation aimed to disrupt drug trafficking routes by targeting vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations involved in narcotics smuggling.
Who authorized the recent attack in the eastern Pacific?
The attack was authorized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and executed under the command of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
Why is the U.S. increasing military operations in the region?
The U.S. is escalating military operations to combat drug cartels and disrupt their trafficking networks as part of the broader "Southern Spear" campaign initiated by the Trump administration.