A U.S. military strike on a suspected drug trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific killed three people Wednesday, according to U.S. Southern Command, as operations against alleged narcotics networks continue for a fourth consecutive day.

The strike was carried out under the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who ordered Joint Task Force Southern Spear to target a vessel identified by the command as being operated by designated terrorist organizations involved in drug trafficking.

Officials said intelligence indicated the vessel was traveling along established narcotics routes in the Eastern Pacific and was actively engaged in trafficking operations at the time of the strike. SOUTHCOM described those killed as male “narco-terrorists.”

The latest action follows a series of similar strikes carried out over several days, with at least five vessels targeted since Sunday in both the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean regions. Those operations have resulted in at least 14 deaths, with one additional individual reported to have survived.

The ongoing effort is part of Operation Southern Spear, a campaign launched in September aimed at disrupting maritime drug trafficking networks linked to designated terrorist organizations operating across the region.

Since the operation began, SOUTHCOM reports that 52 vessels have been struck, resulting in at least 175 fatalities. Of those, 37 incidents occurred in the Pacific and 15 in the Caribbean.

The campaign reflects an expanded U.S. military approach to targeting maritime smuggling routes used by transnational criminal organizations, with operations continuing across multiple theaters.