The Trump administration announced Monday that it had blown three drug-running boats out of the water in the Eastern Pacific on the same day.
āOn Dec. 15, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,ā according to a post on X by U.S. Southern Command.
āIntelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking,ā the post said.
On Dec. 15, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known⦠pic.twitter.com/IQfCVvUpau
ā U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 16, 2025
āA total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actionsāthree in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third,ā the post said.
The post included a video that showed three boats being destroyed.
As noted by Fox News, the latest strike brings the number of narco-terrorists killed to 94 since the attacks on drug-running boats began on Sept. 2.
CNN reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will brief senators on Tuesday.
āThe American people deserve oversight. We intend to deliver it,ā Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ā a critic of the strikes ā said Monday.
In a briefing earlier this month, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson defended the strikes, as noted in a news release on the Department of Warās website.
āEach strike conducted against these designated terror organizations is taken in defense of vital U.S. national interests and to protect the homeland,ā Wilson said.
She said the strikes are fully legal.
Do you support Trumpās lethal strikes on narco terrorists?
Yes: 0% (0 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
āOur operations in the Southcom region are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the Law of Armed Conflict. These actions have also been approved by the best military and civilian lawyers up and down the chain of command,ā Wilson said.
āThis department will defend our homeland. This is not a catchphrase; itās a commitment,ā she said.
Wilson also noted that Hegseth has said, āWhen it comes to killing narco-terrorists, we have only just begun.ā
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.