Under the command of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the Joint Task Force Southern Spear executed a decisive strike on a vessel engaged in the illegal trafficking of narcotics in the eastern Pacific, situated in international waters.
The mission resulted in the sinking of the boat and the deaths of three individuals labeled as narcoterrorists, as confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies.
This operation took place on November 15, when the joint task force, operating under the U.S. Southern Command, identified and engaged a vessel operated by a designated terrorist organization. The boat was navigating a well-known drug trafficking route, carrying illicit substances.
Official sources report that military intelligence had previously verified the target, confirming its use for drug smuggling activities.
The three individuals aboard were killed in the assault, identified by authorities as "narcoterrorists" linked to the organization in question.
The vessel was destroyed in international waters in the eastern Pacific, an area where the U.S. asserts that boats and other crafts regularly engage in drug transportation towards routes connecting with the American continent.
Broader Campaign Against Drug Trafficking
The destruction of this drug-smuggling boat is part of a larger Southern Command campaign that has recently reported the obliteration of over a dozen vessels allegedly tied to the narcotics trade in both the Caribbean and eastern Pacific waters. According to reports, most of the crew members have been killed during these operations.
These actions are portrayed as efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and obstruct drug supply routes to the United States.
Increased U.S. Naval Presence
The Southern Spear operation is conducted alongside a significant enhancement of U.S. naval presence in the region, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the Pentagon's fleet, in the Caribbean waters. This deployment is also under Hegseth's orders and aligns with President Donald Trump's directives to counter narcoterrorists and "protect the security of the western hemisphere and American territory."
The Southern Command emphasizes that these deployments and attacks are part of an integrated strategy aimed at exerting direct pressure on drug trafficking networks operating in Latin America, through a combination of naval operations, intelligence gathering, and targeted strikes against drug-trafficking vessels like the one destroyed in the eastern Pacific.
Ongoing Offensive Against Latin American Cartels
Since the commencement of the operation, U.S. forces have destroyed 20 vessels and neutralized 75 suspected narcoterrorists in actions within the Caribbean and Pacific, described by Washington as a "direct offensive against Latin American cartels."
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell explained that the deployment aims to "detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit activities affecting regional stability."
Meanwhile, the regime of Nicolás Maduro announced a "massive deployment" of troops, aircraft, and civilian militias to respond to what it termed as an "imperial threat." Caracas maintains it will defend "every inch of Venezuelan territory" against any potential foreign incursion.
U.S. Military Actions Against Narcoterrorists
What prompted the U.S. to attack the smuggling vessel in the Pacific?
The U.S. conducted the attack on the vessel due to its involvement in illegal narcotics trafficking, confirmed by military intelligence as part of efforts to disrupt drug supply routes.
How does Southern Spear contribute to U.S. objectives?
Operation Southern Spear supports U.S. goals by dismantling drug trafficking networks and enhancing security in the western hemisphere through coordinated military actions.
What has been the response from Nicolás Maduro's regime?
The regime of Nicolás Maduro has responded with a "massive deployment" of military forces, framing the U.S. actions as an "imperial threat" and vowing to defend Venezuelan territory.