Trump, Hegseth order strikes on narco targets on New Year’s Eve as part of Operation Southern Spear

WASHINGTON, DC: On New Year's Eve, the US forces launched a major strike under Operation Southern Spear, targeting some suspected narco smuggling convoys in the international waters.

The strike, directed by President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, reportedly killed five and sank the vessels.

Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes

In an X post, the US Southern Command wrote, "On Dec 31, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on two vessels operated by Designated Te**orist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in narco-trafficking."

"A total of five narco-te**orists were killed during these actions - three in the first vessel and two in the second," they added. 

In another post, the US Southern Command shared an update regarding a strike carried out on Tuesday night.

“These vessels were operated by Designated Te**orist Organizations in international waters,” military officials wrote in a X post on Wednesday night. 

“Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes. Three narco-te**orists aboard the first vessel were killed in the first engagement. The remaining narco-te**orists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels,” they added. 

Coast Guard sent in after strikes

The Southern Command also noted that the US Coast Guard was swiftly notified after the strikes to launch a search-and-rescue operation for those who plunged into the water. 

According to the footage of the operation shared on social media, three boats were seen racing across the water in close proximity before one was stopped dead by a fiery blast, followed seconds later by strikes on the other two.

Southern Command withholds details of the strike

The Southern Command, which oversees Central and South America and the Caribbean, did not mention where the latest strikes occurred or how many suspected narco-te**orists were on the other boats.

Earlier airstrikes have targeted vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean. 

Since early September, at least 110 suspected d**g smugglers have been killed in 33 known boat strikes.