The U.S. military quietly expanded its overseas counter-narcotics operations this week, confirming that multiple suspected drug-smuggling vessels were destroyed in a series of strikes carried out at the start of the new year.
According to U.S. Southern Command, eight individuals were killed during operations conducted Tuesday and Wednesday, pushing the total number of reported fatalities in the ongoing maritime campaign to at least 115.
Southern Command, which oversees American military forces operating throughout Central and South America, said the strikes targeted vessels believed to be involved in international drug trafficking routes used to funnel narcotics toward the United States.
In one operation conducted Tuesday, military officials said three vessels traveling together in international waters were identified and engaged. According to the command, three individuals aboard the lead vessel were killed during the initial strike. Officials said the remaining occupants abandoned the other two boats before follow-on strikes destroyed them.
Video footage released by the military shows the vessels moving together at sea prior to being struck. Officials did not disclose the exact location of the operation, though similar missions in recent months have occurred in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Southern Command also confirmed that the U.S. Coast Guard was notified to activate standard search-and-rescue procedures following the operation, though no additional details were provided.
Several hours later, the military announced a second set of strikes conducted Wednesday against two more suspected trafficking vessels. Those strikes resulted in five additional deaths, according to U.S. officials. Again, the precise location was not made public.
Since September, U.S. forces have carried out more than 30 maritime operations targeting what officials describe as vessels used by transnational drug-smuggling networks. The effort is part of a broader campaign aimed at disrupting the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States and weakening organized criminal operations operating offshore.
The renewed operations come amid President Donald Trump’s intensified pressure on foreign governments accused of enabling or protecting drug-trafficking organizations. In recent months, Trump has sharply criticized Venezuela’s socialist leadership, accusing the regime of playing a role in international narcotics activity.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has denied those allegations, instead accusing Washington of political interference. The Trump administration has rejected those claims, maintaining that U.S. actions are focused on national security, border protection, and the fight against global drug trafficking.
As the new year begins, the latest strikes signal that America’s counter-drug operations remain active—and that the Trump administration is continuing its aggressive stance against criminal networks operating far beyond U.S. shores.