Overview
- On December 15, U.S. kinetic strikes in the eastern Pacific sank three boats and killed eight people described by SOUTHCOM as presumed narcotraffickers.
- SOUTHCOM said intelligence indicated the vessels were transiting known drug-trafficking routes and were engaged in trafficking activities.
- The operation took place in international waters within SOUTHCOM’s area of responsibility and was carried out by Joint Task Force “Southern Spear.”
- Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson stated the actions comply with U.S. and international law, while some legal experts characterize the strikes as unlawful extrajudicial killings.
- Pete Hegseth, Senator Marco Rubio, and senior military officers are slated to brief members of Congress behind closed doors, as reporting counts at least 95 deaths across 25 publicly known attacks since September.