The U.S. launches an attack and destroys three drug boats at sea

The Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out this Tuesday  "kinetic attacks" against three vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking that were sailing in convoy through international waters, by order of Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War. 

According to the report from the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations and intelligence confirmed that they were traveling along known drug trafficking routes.

The report adds that, prior to the attacks, the three vessels allegedly transferred narcotics among themselves.

The statement assures that in the first confrontation three "narcoterrorists" aboard the first vessel were killed.

Regarding the other two, the note states that the remaining occupants abandoned the ships, “jumping overboard” and distancing themselves, before the subsequent confrontations sank their respective vessels.

Following the actions, the United States Southern Command "immediately" notified the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to activate the Search and Rescue system, according to the same source.

SOUTHCOM also confirmed this Monday a lethal attack against a boat allegedly linked to drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, in international waters, as part of the military operation called “Lanza del Sur” (Operation Southern Spear).

U.S. authorities claimed that intelligence information confirmed the boat was traveling along known drug trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was being operated by organizations designated as terrorist groups, involved in drug trafficking activities.

The operation is backed by the Department of Defense and the United States Strategic Command (US STRATCOM), in a context of increased military pressure against transnational criminal organizations that combine drug trafficking activities with armed structures.

The operation "Lanza del Sur" is part of a broader strategy by the United States to combat drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere, especially in maritime corridors of the Pacific and the Caribbean.