US military kills 2 in Eastern Pacific cartel strike, SOUTHCOM says
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The US military carried out another deadly strike targeting suspected cartel operatives in the Eastern Pacific on Monday, killing two men believed to be involved in narcotics trafficking, according to US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
“There is complete systemic friction being exerted on the cartels,” SOUTHCOM said in a post on X. “On April 13, under the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander General Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic attack on a ship operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization.
“Intelligence confirmed the ship was transiting known drug smuggling routes in the Eastern Pacific and was involved in drug smuggling operations,” the post continued. “Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No US military forces were harmed.”
The strike comes two days after SOUTHCOM conducted similar operations against two other suspected ships operated by designated groups.
USA AND ECUATOR LAUNCH JOINT OPERATIONS TARGETING NARCO-TERRORISM GROUPS: SOUTHCOM
U.S. forces killed two suspected cartel agents in a Pacific offensive as SOUTHCOM stepped up operations targeting narcotics trafficking routes. (US Southern Command X Post)
Officials said intelligence confirmed these ships were traveling along known drug trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were actively participating in narcotics operations.
While two people were killed in the first attack and three in the second attack, one person survived in the first attack.
SOUTHCOM said it immediately called on the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct search and rescue operations for the lone survivor. No US soldiers were injured in either operation.
US SOLDIERS MADE A DEADLY ATTACK ON A DRUG TRAFFICKING SHIP IN THE PACIFIC, LEAVING 2 DEAD AND 1 RESCUE.
SOUTHCOM attacked a drug smuggling ship in the Caribbean: 4 people died (US Southern Command)
The operations are part of broader U.S. military efforts to disrupt maritime cartel-related smuggling networks; Authorities increasingly describe such groups using terrorism-related names.
The strikes were carried out as part of Joint Task Force Southern Spear, an ongoing mission focused on targeting transnational criminal organizations operating along key maritime drug routes in the region.
The Eastern Pacific remains a key corridor for drug trafficking, where cartels often rely on small, fast-moving ships to move drugs north to the United States and Central America.
US kills 11 of 3 attacks on ships allegedly smuggling drugs
Boat attack targeting alleged narco-terrorists (US Southern Command)
The use of the term “Designated Terrorist Organizations” reflects a more aggressive stance by the Trump administration, which has expanded the use of military force against suspected narcotics traffickers beyond traditional law enforcement approaches.
SOUTHCOM has not released additional details about the identities of those killed or the specific groups involved.
The command is responsible for military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counternarcotics missions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks that threaten U.S. interests.
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The United States has launched dozens of attacks on ships suspected of drug smuggling in recent months as part of a broader campaign to end cartel-linked smuggling operations and increase pressure on transnational criminal organizations.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
