U.S. strikes 3 narco-trafficking vessels in Eastern Pacific, killing 8

U.S. military forces carried out lethal strikes against three vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations in international waters of the Eastern Pacific, killing eight people, according to U.S. Southern Command.

The kinetic strikes were conducted on Monday when Joint Task Force Southern Spear launched the operation at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, according to SOUTHCOM.

The command said intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narcotics trafficking. Officials did not release the exact locations of the strikes.

All eight people killed were described as male “narco-terrorists,” according to SOUTHCOM. The command said three were killed aboard the first vessel, two aboard the second, and three aboard the third.

The previous operation occurred on Dec. 4, when U.S. forces targeted a single vessel allegedly operated by a designated terrorist organization in international waters of the Eastern Pacific. That strike killed four people aboard the vessel, according to U.S. Southern Command.

Including Monday’s operation, U.S. forces have now confirmed at least 26 maritime strikes across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since September, resulting in a total of 95 deaths. Fifteen of the targeted vessels were operating in the Pacific, while eleven were targeted in the Caribbean.

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

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 16, 2025