A new U.S. military strike on an alleged drug vessel in the Eastern Pacific has left six people dead, according to the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The strike was carried out Sunday at the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan and targeted a vessel the military said was operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, according to a statement<\/a> by the command.<\/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 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The six men who were killed were described by the command as \u201cnarco-terrorists.\u201d SOUTHCOM said no U.S. personnel were harmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The operation was conducted as part of Operation 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 46 vessels have been struck, resulting in 157 deaths. Of those, 32 vessels were operating in the Pacific and 14 in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On March 8, 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\/hIXMDeDKK5<\/a><\/p>— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) March 9, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>