Video released by U.S. Southern Command shows a suspected drug-trafficking vessel moments before it was struck during an operation in the Eastern Pacific.

The United States military executed a deadly operation on Wednesday, targeting a vessel in the Eastern Pacific suspected of drug trafficking. This action resulted in the deaths of two individuals labeled as “narco-terrorists” by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

In a statement shared on social media platform X, SOUTHCOM detailed that, under the orders of General Francis L. Donovan, the Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out the precision strike against a vessel operated by groups identified as Designated Terrorist Organizations.

According to intelligence assessments, the vessel was navigating established drug-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and actively engaged in illicit operations.

The military reported that the strike eliminated two suspected narco-terrorists. However, SOUTHCOM has not confirmed whether there were any survivors from the incident.

A video released by U.S. Southern Command captures the moments leading up to the strike on the suspected drug-trafficking vessel during the operation in the Eastern Pacific.

SOUTHCOM assured that no U.S. military personnel sustained injuries during the operation.

SOUTHCOM also released a brief video showing a vessel speeding through the water before erupting in flames.

The latest strike brings the number of people killed in U.S. military operations targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels to at least 207 since the Trump administration launched a broad campaign aimed at dismantling cartel-linked trafficking networks in September, according to The Associated Press.

A suspected drug-trafficking vessel erupts in flames following a U.S. military strike, according to U.S. Southern Command. (U.S. Southern Command)

Wednesday’s strike followed a series of similar operations in recent weeks.

On Saturday, the U.S. military struck a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing three suspected narco-terrorists, according to SOUTHCOM.

A separate strike Friday killed three men, while another operation last Wednesday killed two, the military said.

Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, directed the operation that targeted a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, according to SOUTHCOM. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

SOUTHCOM also carried out a strike last Tuesday that reportedly killed one person and left two survivors.

Earlier in May, the command said an operation in the Eastern Pacific killed two alleged narco-terrorists and left one survivor.

The military has released brief videos and statements describing the vessels as tied to designated terrorist organizations, but it has generally not publicly released evidence identifying those killed or proving the vessels were carrying drugs. The campaign has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers, legal experts and human rights groups who question the legal basis for using lethal military force against suspected traffickers outside a traditional battlefield.

The Eastern Pacific and Caribbean remain major corridors for narcotics trafficking, with cartels frequently using small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs toward the United States and Central America.

veA vessel linked to designated terrorist organizations traveling in the Eastern Pacific

Officials said the vessel was linked to designated terrorist organizations and engaged in narcotics-trafficking operations. (U.S. Southern Command)

SOUTHCOM oversees U.S. military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions aimed at disrupting trafficking networks tied to transnational criminal organizations.

The video released Wednesday was in black and white, similar to most footage previously shared by SOUTHCOM.

Last week, however, the military posted what appeared to be its first color video showing a strike against a suspected drug-trafficking vessel.

–>

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *