The U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) carried out a lethal kinetic strike yesterday against a vessel operated by designated terrorist organizations in the Eastern Pacific, killing three men identified as narco-terrorists with no U.S. military personnel injured.
The action was ordered by the SOUTHCOM commander, General Francis L. Donovan, and executed by the Joint Task Force Southern Spear.
According to the official statement released on social media, intelligence confirmed that the vessel was navigating known drug trafficking routes and was actively involved in drug trafficking operations.
The attack was documented with declassified aerial images captured by a drone, showing the vessel ablaze in the middle of the ocean with overlaid military targeting markers.
In its statement, SOUTHCOM asserted: "On May 29, under the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan, the Southern Spear Joint Task Force executed a lethal kinetic strike against a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. SOUTHCOM maintains its unwavering commitment to apply total systemic friction against the cartels."
The blow on Friday comes during a week of intense operational activity.
On Thursday, SOUTHCOM carried out another lethal strike in the same theater that left two dead, and a third attack in the same region was reported on Wednesday. On Tuesday, a boat was attacked in the Pacific, resulting in the deaths of two alleged narco-terrorists.
The Southern Spear Operation was launched in September 2025 under the Trump administration to detect, disrupt, and degrade transnational criminal networks engaged in maritime drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean.
Its legal framework is based on Executive Order 14157, which designated 12 major international cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, allowing them to be treated as military targets.
Since its inception, the campaign has steadily escalated. The first documented attack, on September 2, 2025, killed 11 individuals linked to a Venezuelan cartel.
By May 8, 2026, the operation had already accumulated more than 202 dead in 61 attacks against 62 vessels, with only three captured and two extradited.
Among the most significant episodes in recent months are a triple attack in February that resulted in 11 deaths, two simultaneous strikes in April that left five victims, and an attack in May that brought the total to 190 deaths.
On May 8, the first attack against a target on land within Venezuela was also carried out as part of the operation.
The campaign has generated international debate regarding its legality under international humanitarian law, as it involves the use of lethal force outside of a formally declared armed conflict and without prior judicial proceedings for the crew members of the attacked vessels.
With the three deaths on Friday, the total toll of Operation Southern Spear has now exceeded 200 casualties since its launch nine months ago.
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