The U.S. military destroyed three suspected drug-trafficking vessels traveling in close formation on Tuesday, according to U.S. Southern Command.
Officials did not disclose the exact location of the operation but confirmed that the vessels were operating in international waters. The boats were reportedly moving together as a convoy along known narcotics trafficking routes.
U.S. Southern Command said at least three suspected narco-terrorists were killed during the initial strike. The fate of others aboard the vessels remains unclear after they abandoned the remaining boats before subsequent engagements.
“In the early hours of Dec. 30, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels operating as a convoy in international waters,” Southern Command said in a statement Wednesday. “Intelligence confirmed the vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations and had transferred narcotics between them prior to the strikes.”
The statement added that three individuals aboard the first vessel were killed during the initial engagement. Crew members on the other two boats reportedly jumped overboard before those vessels were sunk.
Following the operation, Southern Command notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate its search and rescue system. “USSOUTHCOM immediately coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard to initiate search and rescue efforts after the engagements,” the command said.
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Southern Spear, under which at least 30 drug-trafficking vessels have been destroyed since late 2025. Officials say more than 100 suspected narco-terrorists have been killed as the Trump administration increases pressure on the Maduro regime in Venezuela.
The operation has drawn criticism from Democrats, who have challenged President Trump and Secretary of War Hegseth over the use of military force against drug-trafficking targets. Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, following a prior administration memo that classified the drug as a chemical weapon to support expanded enforcement actions.
In related operations, the U.S. Coast Guard has also seized at least two sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers.
