The U.S. military reported it killed two alleged narco-terrorists on Wednesday (June 3) after conducting a lethal strike on a drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean. According to a statement from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the operation was carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear at the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who assumed command of SOUTHCOM in February 2026.
SOUTHCOM stated on social media that the targeted vessel was operated by groups designated as terrorist organizations. The strike is part of a continuing series of U.S. military actions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking routes in the region. These actions fall under Operation Southern Spear, which the Department of Defense says targets vessels suspected of moving drugs for transnational criminal or terrorist groups.
This most recent operation marks at least the sixty-second lethal strike against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean since late 2025, according to a detailed timeline maintained by Just Security. Reports indicate that these strikes have resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people, with a small number of survivors and some missing persons presumed dead.
The ongoing campaign has drawn international attention and debate. Some U.S. lawmakers have called for greater congressional oversight of the strikes and more transparency regarding their legal basis, as documented in coverage by The New York Times. Several international organizations, including the United Nations, have questioned the legality of the operations under international law.
U.S. officials, however, maintain the operations are necessary to disrupt the operations of powerful drug-trafficking and terrorist networks in the region. As of now, there has been no official announcement regarding the identities of those killed in Wednesday’s operation or further details about the targeted vessel. The U.S. military indicated that such strikes will likely continue as part of ongoing efforts to combat narcotics trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.
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