Washington, Feb 14 (.) The US military carried out a strike on another suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean on Friday, killing three people, according to US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
“On Feb. 13, under the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear executed a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” SOUTHCOM said on X, noting that no US personnel were harmed.
At least 124 people have now died in strikes against suspected drug boats under Operation Southern Spear, a campaign initiated by the Trump administration aimed at curbing narcotics trafficking.
The administration has described those killed as “unlawful combatants” and has justified lethal strikes without judicial review based on a classified Justice Department opinion.
Friday’s strike marks the fourth publicly reported attack this year. A previous strike earlier this week killed two people and left one survivor, with the US Coast Guard providing technical support for search and rescue efforts coordinated by Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Ecuador.
Lawmakers have shown particular concern about the first attack on September 2, which included a follow-up strike that killed two crew members who had initially survived.
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