UPDATE - US military strikes suspected drug vessel in Eastern Pacific

ADDS INFO

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US military carried out a strike Thursday on a vessel allegedly engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, according to the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

The strike was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear at the direction of Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who assumed command of SOUTHCOM on Thursday during a ceremony at the Pentagon.

"Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.

"Two narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed," SOUTHCOM said on the US social media company X’s platform.

Earlier Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said "some top cartel drug-traffickers" in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility "decided to cease all narcotics operations indefinitely due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean."

Hegseth did not share further details or present evidence about his claim.

The Trump administration has intensified military operations in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September, citing efforts against narcotics trafficking.