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U.S. Southern Command Executes Second Fatal Pacific Strike, Killing Three Narco‑Terrorists

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  • “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” according to U.S. Southern Command.
    “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” according to U.S. Southern Command.
    Image: Newsweek
    “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” according to U.S. Southern Command. Source Full size
  • A screengrab from a video shared by the U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, appearing to show three U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean on February 16.
    A screengrab from a video shared by the U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, appearing to show three U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean on February 16.
    Image: Newsweek
    A screengrab from a video shared by the U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, appearing to show three U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean on February 16. Source Full size
  • None
    None
    Image: AP
    Source Full size
  • “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” according to U.S. Southern Command.
    “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” according to U.S. Southern Command.
    Image: Newsweek
    “Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” according to U.S. Southern Command. Source Full size
  • A screengrab from a video shared by the U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, appearing to show three U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean on February 16.
    A screengrab from a video shared by the U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, appearing to show three U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean on February 16.
    Image: Newsweek
    A screengrab from a video shared by the U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, appearing to show three U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean on February 16. Source Full size
  • None
    None
    Image: AP
    Source Full size

Strike Occurred on Feb. 20 Targeting Drug Vessel The U.S. Southern Command posted video of a lethal kinetic strike on Feb. 20 against a vessel transiting known narco‑trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific. Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out the operation under orders from Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of SOUTHCOM. The strike killed three male suspects identified as narco‑terrorists and caused no U.S. casualties [1][2][3].

Operation Southern Spear Death Toll Approaches One Hundred Forty The latest attack brings the cumulative fatalities from Operation Southern Spear to at least 138 according to CNN, while the Associated Press counts 148 deaths across 43 incidents since September. Newsweek’s earlier report listed 145 deaths after the Feb. 18 strikes, indicating a slight discrepancy in tallies. All outlets agree the campaign has intensified, with six known attacks in 2026 and two strikes occurring within days [2][3][4].

Legal Experts and Lawmakers Question Strike Legality Critics argue the strikes may violate international law and label them potential war crimes, especially after reports of a “double‑tap” on survivors. President Trump has framed the operations as an armed conflict with Latin American cartels, but legal scholars dispute the enemy‑combatant justification. Congressional hearings are scrutinizing the Pacific and Caribbean attacks, with Democrats calling the killings murders and Republicans defending their legality [2][3][5].

Coast Guard Maintains Non‑Lethal Drug Interdictions Despite the military’s lethal campaign, the U.S. Coast Guard continues to interdict vessels and seize narcotics without using force. Coast Guard operations predate the September shift to kinetic strikes and remain active in the eastern Pacific. The dual approach underscores a separation between law‑enforcement interdictions and military kinetic actions [3][5].

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Timeline

Sep 2, 2025 – The U.S. launches its first Operation Southern Spear strike, hitting a suspected drug‑smuggling vessel off Venezuela, killing nine crew members and splitting the boat in half; a follow‑up missile 41 minutes later destroys the capsized hull and kills two survivors who could not radio for help[17].

Sep 2, 2025 – Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley orders the second strike, saying the survivors “could not radio” and that the follow‑up was needed to prevent traffickers from escaping, a decision later defended as lawful under U.S. law[22].

Sep 2025 (through early 2026) – Operation Southern Spear logs at least 38 lethal strikes on Caribbean and Eastern Pacific vessels, causing more than 120 deaths as the Trump administration frames the campaign as a non‑international armed conflict against “narco‑terrorists”[1].

Dec 5, 2025 – The 22nd strike in the eastern Pacific kills four people, raising the cumulative death toll to at least 87; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defies criticism, insisting the operations are lawful and necessary[19].

Dec 7, 2025 – Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Hegseth defends the boat strikes and declares that President Trump “can order the use of force as he sees fit,” while noting the campaign’s death toll has risen to 87[16].

Dec 7, 2025 – “Saturday Night Live” airs a cold‑open parody of the strikes, with a line that the operation is part of “Operation Kill Everybody,” and the White House later confirms Admiral Bradley ordered the second strike[15].

Dec 8, 2025 – Bipartisan lawmakers, including Rep. Jim Himes, say the video of the September “double‑tap” strike should be released so “Americans can judge for themselves”[14].

Dec 8, 2025 – The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act inserts a provision requiring the Pentagon to turn over the unedited strike footage to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees[12].

Dec 9, 2025 – A defense‑spending bill ties 25 % of Hegseth’s travel budget to the release of the unedited video, while President Trump tells reporters “Whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me”[5].

Dec 9, 2025 – The White House delays releasing the full September strike video; Trump later says he never promised the footage and defers the decision to Defense Secretary Hegseth[11].

Dec 15, 2025 – The U.S. military strikes three vessels in the eastern Pacific, killing eight people (three, two, and three on each boat) and President Trump calls the action a necessary escalation against drug cartels[10].

Dec 16, 2025 – The White House affirms that Admiral Bradley acted within his authority and U.S. law when he ordered the September 2 follow‑up strike, while President Trump says he would not have wanted a second strike[30].

Dec 18, 2025 – Two alleged drug‑trafficking boats are hit in the eastern Pacific, killing five; the attack marks the third strike that week and brings the weekly death count to 104[8].

Dec 22, 2025 – A low‑profile vessel is struck in the eastern Pacific, killing one person; the administration says the operation pressures Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and disrupts narcotics flows[28].

Dec 29, 2025 – A kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations kills two men in international waters of the eastern Pacific; the operation is directed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth[27].

Dec 30, 2025 – Southern Command posts that the Dec 29 strike killed two men and caused no U.S. casualties, reinforcing the campaign’s pattern of lethal kinetic actions[7].

Jan 1, 2026 – The U.S. military strikes two boats in the Caribbean/Eastern Pacific, killing five people; the attack follows a convoy strike the previous day that killed at least three, bringing the campaign’s total to over 30 strikes and 110 deaths since September 2025[3].

Jan 27, 2026 – Relatives of two Trinidadian men file a lawsuit in Boston federal court under the Death on the High Seas Act, alleging the Oct 14, 2025 strike that killed six men was an unlawful “lawless killing in cold blood”[2].

Feb 6, 2026 – U.S. Southern Command reports a strike on an alleged drug vessel in the Eastern Pacific that kills two people, marking the second strike of the year after a slowdown following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early January[1].

Feb 21, 2026 – Gen. Francis L. Donovan orders a kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations, killing three; the cumulative death toll from Operation Southern Spear reaches at least 138, the sixth publicly known boat attack in 2026[6].

Feb 28, 2026 – President Trump announces a $12 billion farm‑aid package, providing $11 billion in one‑time payments to crop farmers and $1 billion for specialty crops, to be delivered by this date[13].

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