U.S. forces carried out a lethal strike Monday against a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean Sea, killing three individuals identified by the military as “narco-terrorists,” according to United States Southern Command.

The operation was authorized by SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan and focused on a boat the command said was operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization engaged in narcotics trafficking. Military officials stated that intelligence assets tracked the vessel as it moved along known smuggling corridors frequently used to transport illegal drugs through the Caribbean region.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the command said in a public statement. No U.S. service members were injured during the mission.

The strike was conducted under Southern Spear, a campaign launched in September to disrupt maritime networks allegedly tied to designated terrorist organizations involved in trafficking narcotics across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. The initiative represents an expanded effort to interdict vessels believed to be moving drugs toward North American markets.

Since the launch of Southern Spear, U.S. forces have struck at least 45 vessels, resulting in 146 reported deaths, according to SOUTHCOM data. Of those vessels, 31 were operating in the Pacific Ocean and 14 were located in the Caribbean.

The latest action follows additional strikes reported last week in both the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean, where four vessels were targeted and at least 14 individuals were killed.

Officials say the campaign is aimed at dismantling transnational criminal networks that fund broader instability in the region through narcotics trafficking and related activities.