US military kills two in strike on human smuggling ship in eastern Pacific

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US Southern Command strikes human smuggling ship in eastern Pacific, killing two.
Operation is part of broader campaign targeting drug-trafficking vessels linked to terrorist groups.

The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced on Thursday that two individuals were killed in a military strike carried out by the Joint Task Force Southern Spear targeting a ship in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Ship linked to terrorist drug networks

SOUTHCOM said the targeted vessel was operated by terrorist-designated organizations involved in drug smuggling, with intelligence confirming its activity along known trafficking routes. The two deceased were described as “drug-related terrorists,” and no US military personnel were harmed during the operation.

Part of ongoing regional campaign

The strike is part of a wider military campaign launched in September to track and neutralize vessels connected to terrorist groups trafficking contraband across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

Since the campaign began, at least 38 ships have been targeted, resulting in 124 deaths. Operations have included 27 ships in the Pacific and 11 in the Caribbean, according to SOUTHCOM.

The last similar strike occurred on January 23, targeting a vessel in international Pacific waters, killing two and leaving one missing, underscoring the ongoing escalation of US operations against transnational drug-smuggling networks.