The United States military killed six men in a new attack on a boat in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, allegedly linked to drug trafficking, announced the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), bringing the total to at least 45 boats attacked since these operations began in September 2025. The attack occurred as part of Operation Southern Spear, with which the United States has killed more than 150 people on these boats in the Pacific and Atlantic to combat drug trafficking in the Central America, South America, and the Caribbean area, according to the statement. Additionally, it increases pressure on Venezuela. Southern Command stated that U.S. forces 'conducted a lethal kinetic attack on a vessel operated by organizations designated as terrorists.' 'Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was transiting along known drug trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was involved in drug trafficking operations. Six narcoterrorists died in this action. The vessel suffered damage,' SOUTHCOM noted on its social media. This new attack comes after a last operation that left three dead on February 23 in the Caribbean, also for alleged drug trafficking. The action also occurs after the launch of the 'Shield of the Americas' initiative by U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Saturday gathered more than a dozen right-wing leaders from Latin America in Miami to create a new military coalition against 'narcoterrorists.' As a show of this cooperation, the U.S. Southern Command and Ecuador conducted their first joint military operation against drug trafficking in the South American country last week. While the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, signed an agreement with nearly 20 governments from Latin America and the Caribbean on Thursday to commit them to fighting 'narcoterrorists' after warning them that the United States is 'ready' to launch a 'solo offensive' if there is no cooperation. Although civilian organizations, Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans have deemed these attacks illegal, the Trump administration has argued that its actions are justified because it is in an 'armed conflict' with cartels and terrorist organizations linked to drug trafficking from Latin America.
