A U.S. military strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel killed three people in the Eastern Pacific, according to Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The strike was carried out on Friday at the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan and targeted a vessel the military said was operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization, the command said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” SOUTHCOM added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The three men killed were described by the military as “narco-terrorists.” SOUTHCOM said no U.S. personnel were injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The strike was conducted as part of Southern Spear, a campaign launched in September to target vessels allegedly linked to designated terrorist organizations involved in drug trafficking across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the campaign began, at least 44 vessels have been struck, resulting in 143 deaths. Of those vessels, 31 were operating in the Pacific and 13 in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier this week, SOUTHCOM reported separate strikes in the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean targeting three vessels. Eleven people were killed in those operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Feb. 20, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM<\/a> commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/PzWQFfNgHm<\/a><\/p>— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) February 21, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>