US Army Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced that on Monday (December 15), 2025, it attacked three suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of eight people: three on the first vessel, two on the second vessel, and three on the third vessel.
The US military has described these individuals as “narco-terrorists” affiliated with designated terrorist organizations, but has provided no evidence that these ships were carrying drugs.
A video of one of the ships exploding has been released, but no further details about the intelligence documents have been released. The attacks are part of the broader “Operation Southern Shield,” which began in September 2025 and has so far resulted in at least 25 attacks on suspected ships, killing more than 95 people.
The Trump administration has described these actions as part of an armed conflict with drug cartels, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett has directly ordered the strikes.
