The United States military conducted its latest operation to combat suspected drug-trafficking operations coming out of South America as part of Operation Southern Spear.
Three people were reportedly aboard the ship, two were killed, and there was one survivor, according to U.S. Southern Command. The military announced the “lethal kinetic strike” in a social media post on X.
“On Feb. 9, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” read the post on X. “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.”
“Two narco-terrorists were killed and one survived the strike,” said U.S. Southern Command. “Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivor.”
No status update was provided on the survivor.
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Monday’s strike was the second such operation in less than a week and the third known operation this year. It is also the second attack this year in which there was a reported survivor. An Operation Southern Spear strike in January killed two suspected drug-traffickers and left one survivor, according to reports.
The U.S. has conducted at least 37 military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels through Operation Southern Spear, with at least 121 reported fatalities. The campaign against suspected narco-traffickers was authorized by President Donald Trump in Sept. 2025.
