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U.S. Kinetic Strikes Kill Six More Narco‑Terrorists, Death Toll Reaches 150

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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
  • None
    None
    Image: AP
    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
  • “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

New Caribbean Strike Adds Three Fatalities, Raising Toll to 150 On Feb. 23 2026 a U.S. kinetic strike hit an alleged drug‑smuggling boat in the Caribbean, killing three people and prompting Southern Command to label the vessel a narco‑terrorist target; the administration now reports at least 150 deaths since the campaign began in September 2023 [1]. The Associated Press and CNN, citing the same strike, put the cumulative death count at 148, highlighting a slight discrepancy in reported totals [3][4]. Video released by Southern Command shows the vessel exploding after the attack, providing visual confirmation of the lethal action [1][3].

Pacific Strike on Feb 20 Killed Three, Part of Accelerating Tempo A second lethal kinetic strike on Feb. 20 2026 in the eastern Pacific killed three male suspects, with Southern Command posting footage of the blast on social media [2]. The operation, ordered by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, was part of Op Southern Spear and followed earlier strikes that week that killed 11 people across the Caribbean and Pacific [2][4]. Intelligence assessments cited the vessel’s transit on known narco‑trafficking routes as justification, though details on vessel type and identities remain classified [2].

Gen. Francis L. Donovan Directs All Reported Kinetic Attacks Every strike reported by the six outlets attributes command authority to SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who ordered Joint Task Force Southern Spear to execute the lethal engagements [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Donovan’s orders are presented as responses to “Designated Terrorist Organizations” operating on established drug routes, and the strikes are framed as lawful under a classified legal opinion authorizing lethal force against a secret list of cartel targets [6].

Administration Frames Campaign as War on Narco‑Terrorists, Critics Call Extrajudicial President Donald Trump’s administration describes the series of strikes as an “armed conflict” with Latin American drug cartels, asserting that kinetic action is necessary to curb fentanyl flows despite limited evidence linking the targeted boats to trafficking [1][3][4]. Legal scholars and human‑rights groups argue the attacks constitute extrajudicial killings and potentially war crimes, especially after reports that survivors of earlier strikes were later targeted [1][3][6]. Congressional scrutiny has intensified, with lawmakers questioning the legality and strategic efficacy of lethal force in maritime drug interdiction [4][6].

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Timeline

July 2024 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules that former President Donald Trump enjoys broad presidential immunity for official acts, shielding him from prosecution over the 2025 Caribbean boat strikes[14].

September 2, 2025 – The U.S. Navy conducts an initial kinetic strike on a suspected drug‑smuggling vessel off Venezuela, killing nine crew members and splitting the boat; the administration calls the target a “designated terrorist organization” and part of an “armed conflict” with narco‑terrorists[25][23].

September 2, 2025 – A follow‑up strike 41 minutes later, ordered by Vice Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, sinks the remaining hull and kills two survivors who were clinging to the wreck, prompting legal experts to label the action a potential war crime[25][18].

September 2, 2025 – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later says he “did not see survivors in the water” and cites “fog of war” as justification for the second strike[24].

September 2, 2025 – President Trump posts video of the first strike on Truth Social, describing the operation as targeting “Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists” and asserting it will save “25,000 American lives”[22].

September 2, 2025 – In a White House cabinet meeting, Hegseth defends the second strike, stating “I didn’t see anyone on the water because the vessel was on fire” and that the decision was lawful under U.S. law[23].

September 2, 2025 – Admiral Bradley testifies that the two men who survived the first blast “had no radio or other communications devices,” contradicting earlier claims they were calling for help[18].

December 2, 2025 – The White House affirms that Vice 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].

December 3, 2025 – President Trump tells reporters the administration will “certainly” release video of the September 2 follow‑up strike, responding to congressional demands for transparency[22].

December 5, 2025 – Admiral Bradley confirms survivors could not radio for assistance, reinforcing his legal justification for the second strike[18].

December 6, 2025 – At the Reagan National Defense Forum, Hegseth defends the Caribbean strikes as “the strength of American resolve,” while also declining to commit to releasing the second‑strike video, citing protection of sources and methods[15][16].

December 9, 2025 – A defense‑spending bill ties 25 % of Hegseth’s travel budget to the provision of unedited video of the September 2 strikes to congressional armed‑services committees, intensifying legislative pressure[5].

December 10, 2025 – Lawmakers learn that some survivors from earlier Caribbean attacks were taken to Ecuador and Colombia, raising questions about the U.S. handling of rescued crew members[13].

December 15, 2025 – The U.S. military strikes three Pacific vessels, killing eight people; President Trump calls the operation a necessary escalation in the “armed conflict” with drug cartels[12].

December 16, 2025 – Defense Secretary Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other officials brief the House and Senate on the boat‑strike campaign, fielding questions about the legality of the September 2 follow‑up strike[11].

December 16, 2025 – The death toll from Southern Spear operations surpasses 100 after a strike kills five people on two vessels, prompting Amnesty International’s Daphne Eviatar to condemn the campaign as “disregard for the law”[10].

December 17, 2025 – House Republicans reject Democratic resolutions demanding prior congressional authorization for the strikes, while Defense Secretary Hegseth announces a lethal kinetic strike that killed four people earlier that day[10].

December 18, 2025 – The U.S. imposes a blockade on all sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, accusing Caracas of using oil revenues to fund drug trafficking, further heightening tensions with Maduro’s government[10].

December 22, 2025 – A low‑profile vessel in the eastern Pacific is struck, killing one person; Southern Command again frames the target as a “designated terrorist organization” operating on known narco‑trafficking routes[9].

December 29, 2025 – A second Pacific strike kills two men on a suspected drug vessel; the operation is directed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and described as a lethal kinetic action against Designated Terrorist Organizations[8][27].

January 1, 2026 – The U.S. military reports a strike on two drug‑carrying boats that kills five people, following a convoy attack the previous day; the campaign now exceeds 30 strikes and 110 deaths since September 2025[3].

January 3, 2026 – The U.S. Coast Guard suspends a 65‑hour search for missing crew after a convoy of three drug boats is hit, noting at least ten people killed and six vessels sunk in the week’s operations[7].

January 2026 (early) – U.S. forces capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a move the administration says curtails his alleged collusion with drug traffickers and leads to a slowdown in strike tempo[1].

January 27, 2026 – Relatives of two Trinidadian men killed on 14 October 2025 file a lawsuit in Boston federal court invoking the Death on the High Seas Act, alleging “lawless killings in cold blood” by the U.S. campaign[2].

February 6, 2026 – Southern Command announces a strike on an alleged drug boat in the Eastern Pacific that kills two people, marking the second strike of the year and bringing the campaign’s total to at least 38 lethal hits and 128 deaths since September 2025[1].

February 21, 2026 – A Southern Command video shows a Pacific drug boat exploding after a strike that kills three, raising the cumulative death toll to at least 148 across 43 attacks; critics label the follow‑up killings of survivors as potential war crimes[6].

February 23, 2026 – Joint Task Force Southern Spear, directed by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, conducts a kinetic strike on a Caribbean drug‑smuggling boat, killing three and pushing the overall campaign death count to a minimum of 150; legal scholars call the attacks “extrajudicial killings”[26].

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