The U.S. military struck a narcotics-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean on Friday, killing three suspected traffickers as part of Operation Southern Spear, aimed at cracking down on cartel networks sending deadly drugs into the United States.

Gen. Francis L. Donovan directed the strike, which targeted a vessel linked to designated terrorist organizations, according to U.S. Southern Command. Video shows the boat navigating known smuggling routes before being destroyed, with no U.S. personnel harmed.

This is the fourth publicly disclosed maritime strike in 2026, following earlier operations in the Eastern Pacific. Since the campaign began in September 2025, Southern Spear has carried out 39 confirmed strikes against vessels tied to narco-terror networks. Officials say the operations have forced cartels to adjust their movements, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth noting that some top traffickers have chosen to “cease all narcotics operations indefinitely” due to the campaign’s effectiveness.

Southern Spear targets trafficking corridors in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, where cartels move heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and precursor chemicals toward the U.S. SOUTHCOM describes the vessels it strikes as linked to designated terrorist organizations, though identities are not publicly disclosed.

The strikes are part of a broader Trump administration effort to confront narco-terror networks and narco-states in the region. On January 3, 2026, U.S. Special Forces executed a nighttime raid in Caracas, capturing former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on federal drug trafficking and narco-terror charges. Elite units, including Delta Force and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, participated in the raid, demonstrating Washington’s willingness to confront threats directly.

Officials have emphasized that these operations, maritime strikes, and high-profile raids are coordinated to dismantle narcotics infrastructure at every level. By targeting transport networks, leadership figures, and allied networks, the U.S. aims to deny cartels safe passage and sanctuary while reducing the flow of deadly drugs to American streets.

“The combination of maritime and high-profile operations degrades traffickers’ capabilities and expands deterrence across the hemisphere,” Hegseth said. The Southern Spear campaign continues as a cornerstone of U.S. efforts to secure the Western Hemisphere against narco-terror threats and protect American families from the opioid crisis.