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U.S. forces carried out a deadly strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean on March 25, killing four alleged narco-terrorists, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
“On March 25, at the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by designated terrorist organizations,” SOUTHCOM said in a post shared on X.
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“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” it said. “Four male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” SOUTHCOM added.
The strike comes as SOUTHCOM warned it was “applying total systemic friction on the cartels,” signaling an escalation in U.S. military efforts to disrupt narcotics trafficking networks operating across key maritime corridors.
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Wednesday’s announcement brings the total number of people killed in the boat-bombing campaign, Operation Southern Spear, to around 163.
The campaign began in the Caribbean Sea on Sept. 2, and expanded into the eastern Pacific Ocean in October.
The U.S. military has conducted more than 45 strikes across the region since September.
The administration has faced scrutiny in recent months over the strikes, including from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has raised concerns about the lack of due process and the risk of civilian casualties.
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“I look at my colleagues who say they’re pro-life, and they value God’s inspiration in life, but they don’t give a s— about these people in the boats,” Paul said in January.
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“Are they terrible people in the boats? I don’t know. They’re probably poor people in Venezuela and Colombia,” he said.
President Donald Trump has said the United States is in “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels and has defended the strikes as a necessary step to curb drug trafficking, serve national security and save lives.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
