Overview
- U.S. Southern Command said Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out a lethal strike on Jan. 23 against a vessel it described as operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in the eastern Pacific.
- The command said intelligence indicated the boat was on known narco‑trafficking routes, two people were killed, and the Coast Guard was notified to conduct a search for a lone survivor.
- SOUTHCOM released video showing a small craft before an explosion destroyed it, while officials offered no public evidence of narcotics or specific cartel ties.
- This is the first publicly announced strike since U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, a development closely linked by outlets to the ongoing maritime campaign.
- Public tallies put the operation’s total at roughly 35–36 strikes and at least 117 deaths since September, as legal and human‑rights concerns and congressional oversight efforts persist.