US military strikes narco-terrorist vessels in latest Eastern Pacific drug trafficking operation

Joint Task Force Southern Spear forces struck two alleged narco-terrorist vessels moving along a major drug corridor in the Eastern Pacific on Thursday, killing five militants without suffering any U.S. casualties.

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) released a video on X showing the opening strike and the aftermath, with the targeted boat engulfed in flames.

‘On Dec. 18, at the direction of [Secretary of War] Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,’ the post read. ‘Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations.

‘A total of five male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions — three in the first vessel and two in the second vessel,’ SOUTHCOM added. ‘No U.S. military forces were harmed.’

Joint Task Force Southern Spear was established to help unify Navy, Coast Guard, intelligence and special operations assets to rapidly strike time-sensitive targets at sea.

The Pentagon has not released the identities of the four narco-terrorists killed or the specific terrorist organization involved.

The U.S. has conducted dozens of strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean to dismantle narco-terrorist networks, targeting groups such as Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and Colombia’s Ejército de Liberación Nacional.

The campaign began Sept. 2 with a strike that killed 11 alleged members of Tren de Aragua, followed by additional operations that reportedly eliminated dozens more across known trafficking routes.

U.S. forces have reportedly hit various types of vessels, including submersibles, fishing boats and high-speed vessels.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration launched its ‘Fentanyl Free America’ plan, with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reporting that strikes on suspected Caribbean drug vessels are helping curb the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S.

Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu contributed to this report.