Overview
- U.S. Southern Command said Joint Task Force Southern Spear struck two boats in the Eastern Pacific and one in the Caribbean, killing four, four and three people.
- The operations occurred late Feb. 16 under the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan, and the military reported no U.S. casualties.
- Officials said the vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations on known smuggling routes, but they released no public proof of drugs or victim identities.
- SOUTHCOM shared strike footage and described the actions as part of a campaign launched in 2025 that departs from past interdiction-focused counterdrug tactics.
- At least 42 strikes have been conducted since Sept. 2, with media tallies reporting more than 100 deaths—at least 135 by CNN’s count—as U.N.-linked and rights groups challenge the legality of these killings at sea.