The U.S. military has conducted a new strike on an alleged drug vessel in the Eastern Pacific, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The new operation left three dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The strike was carried out on Tuesday at the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who ordered Joint Task Force Southern Spear to target a vessel the command said was operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, according to a statement<\/a> from the command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIntelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,\u201d SOUTHCOM said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three people were killed in the strike. They were described by the command as male \u201cnarco-terrorists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new strike was conducted as part of Operation Southern Spear, a campaign launched last 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, 57 vessels have been struck, resulting in at least 188 deaths. Of those, 40 vessels were operating in the Pacific and 17 in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On May 5, 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 narco-trafficking\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/CmK9HVK0oG<\/a><\/p>— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) May 6, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>