U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said Tuesday it struck three alleged drug boats traveling in convoy after intelligence reportedly confirmed a narcotics transfer.
The exact location was not disclosed, though previous strikes occurred in both the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific.
On Dec. 30, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy. These vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence… pic.twitter.com/NHRNIzcrFS
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 31, 2025
Three suspected traffickers were killed in the initial strike, while others on two boats jumped overboard before follow-up strikes destroyed the vessels. SOUTHCOM said it promptly alerted the Coast Guard to search for survivors immediately after the attack.
The strike comes after the Pentagon faced scrutiny over its September 2 operation, in which a “follow-on strike” reportedly killed two survivors of the initial blast. The revelation has sparked allegations of a possible war crime, with some lawmakers demanding answers from the commander in charge.
In a subsequent strike, survivors were briefly detained aboard a U.S. Navy ship before being repatriated to their home countries. During a third strike, the Pentagon notified Mexican authorities and tasked them with leading a search and rescue operation for a survivor who was never found and is now presumed dead.
Since September, U.S. forces have destroyed at least 34 vessels and killed more than 100 alleged narco-terrorists aboard them in their campaign against drug trafficking.
