US Military Strike Kills Two Suspected Narco-Terrorists on Pacific Vessel

The U.S. military conducted a lethal strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific on Friday, killing two alleged narco-terrorists, U.S. Southern Command announced.

On May 8, Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out the strike at the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan on a vessel operated by designated terrorist organizations, the command said in a post on X. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was traveling along known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in drug operations. Two male narco-terrorists died in the action, and one survived.

SOUTHCOM notified the U.S. Coast Guard right away to conduct search-and-rescue operations for the survivor. No U.S. forces were injured.

The command did not release further details about those killed.

The strike is part of multiple U.S. military actions in recent months against suspected drug-smuggling vessels to disrupt cartel-linked trafficking. On Tuesday, SOUTHCOM targeted another vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing three suspected narco-terrorists. On Monday, it struck a boat in the Caribbean, killing two suspected traffickers.

The Eastern Pacific and Caribbean serve as major corridors for narcotics smuggling. Cartels use small, fast boats to move drugs toward the U.S. and Central America.

SOUTHCOM oversees military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions to break up drug networks threatening U.S. interests.