U.S. Southern Command Confirms Feb. 20 Pacific Strike Killing Three Narco‑Terrorists
Updated (3 articles)
Video Release Shows Lethal Strike on Feb. 20 Southern Command posted footage on Feb. 21 confirming a kinetic strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific that occurred on Feb. 20, marking the second fatal U.S. action against suspected narco‑terrorists this week; the video was shared via official social‑media channels [1].
Operation Southern Spear Executed Under Gen. Donovan Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out the mission under orders from Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, as part of a broader maritime counter‑trafficking campaign targeting a vessel linked to Designated Terrorist Organizations [1].
Three Suspected Narco‑Terrorists Killed, No U.S. Casualties The strike eliminated three male individuals identified as narco‑terrorists while causing no injuries to U.S. personnel; intelligence indicated the target was transiting established drug‑smuggling routes in the eastern Pacific, and details about the vessel type and identities remain classified [1].
Strike Follows Earlier Week‑Long Counter‑Trafficking Operations Earlier in the week U.S. forces struck two boats in the Eastern Pacific and one in the Caribbean, killing 11 people; the Feb. 20 action raises the weekly fatality total to 14, reflecting an intensified interdiction tempo, though Southern Command has not disclosed the legal justification for the operations [1].
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Timeline
2024 (approx.) – The Trump administration launches an intensified drug‑interdiction effort in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, authorizing Joint Task Force Southern Spear to conduct kinetic strikes against vessels linked to Designated Terrorist Organizations, a campaign that later yields over 20 strikes by late 2025 [3].
Sep 2, 2025 – A U.S. kinetic strike in the Eastern Pacific draws allegations that American forces fire on survivors in the water, prompting lawmakers and former military lawyers to warn the operation may breach peacetime use‑of‑force limits and international law [2].
Dec 15, 2025 – U.S. Southern Command orders three kinetic strikes on drug‑smuggling boats in international waters of the Eastern Pacific; Joint Task Force Southern Spear kills eight men, all identified as “narco‑terrorists,” and cites intelligence linking the vessels to Designated Terrorist Organizations [3].
Dec 17, 2025 – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directs a lethal kinetic strike on a single drug‑smuggling vessel; the operation kills four male suspects, also classified as narco‑terrorists, and occurs on a known trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific [2].
Dec 18, 2025 – President Donald Trump addresses the nation, claiming a 94 % drop in drug shipments by sea following the recent strikes, while omitting reference to Venezuela or the specific boat attacks [2].
2025 (cumulative) – Airwars reports that 98 people have been killed in 26 similar anti‑narco operations since the campaign’s inception, reflecting an escalating tempo of lethal interdiction [2].
Early Feb 2026 – A preceding U.S. operation earlier that week kills 11 individuals across two regions (Eastern Pacific and Caribbean), demonstrating an accelerated strike tempo under Op Southern Spear [1].
Feb 20, 2026 – Southern Command releases video confirming a second fatal kinetic strike of the week on a vessel in the eastern Pacific; Joint Task Force Southern Spear, acting under Gen. Francis L. Donovan’s orders, kills three male narco‑terrorists with no U.S. casualties, targeting a boat on a known drug‑smuggling route [1].