Latest kinetic operation eliminates four suspected narco‑terrorists On Dec 17, U.S. Southern Command carried out a lethal kinetic strike in international waters of the Eastern Pacific, killing four male suspects identified as narco‑terrorists. The attack was ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and executed by Joint Task Force Southern Spear. Intelligence linked the targeted vessel to a Designated Terrorist Organization transiting a known narco‑trafficking route [1][2].

Campaign’s cumulative death toll approaches one hundred The Dec 17 strike follows a Dec 15 operation that killed eight men across three vessels, bringing the total number of people killed in the anti‑narco campaign to 98 according to watchdog Airwars. Since the Trump administration intensified interdiction, more than 20 similar strikes have occurred in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. The campaign began with at least 26 operations, each targeting vessels tied to terrorist groups [1][2].

Lawmakers question legality of peacetime force Congressional members and former military lawyers have warned that the strikes may breach peacetime use‑of‑force limits and the laws of armed conflict. Allegations from a Sep 2 incident claim U.S. forces shot survivors in the water, intensifying scrutiny. Secretary Hegseth maintains the operations are lawful, but the controversy persists across both recent strikes [1][2].

Administration touts dramatic drop in maritime drug flow President Donald Trump announced a 94 % reduction in drug shipments by sea in a national address, citing overall progress of the anti‑drug effort. The statement did not reference Venezuela or the latest boat strikes, focusing instead on the broader decline. This claim underscores the administration’s narrative linking kinetic strikes to reduced drug imports [1].