Pentagon Conducts Three Lethal Strikes on Narco-Terror Drug Vessels, Killing 11

Three vessels carrying illegal drugs were sunk Monday as America’s hunt against drug dealers wages without stopping, according to U.S. Southern Command.

“Late on Feb. 16, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted three lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” Southern Command posted on X.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the post, which showed video of the attacks, said.

Late on Feb. 16, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted three lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/mib9XtptSB

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) February 17, 2026

“Eleven male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions, 4 on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, 4 on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific, and 3 on the third vessel in the Caribbean. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the post added.

Since the start of the campaign against drug-running boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, U.S. forces made at least 41 strikes on various vessels, according to Fox News.

At least 144 people have been killed in the attacks.

The latest attack brought a celebratory post from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

“Turns out President’s Day — under President Trump — is not a good day to run drugs,” Hegseth posted.

Turns out President’s Day — under President Trump — is not a good day to run drugs. https://t.co/8c5wMmQbQ2

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) February 17, 2026

In December, Hegseth said the policy is intended to attack the drug trade.

“If you’re working for a designated terrorist organization and you bring drugs to this country in a boat, we will find you and we will sink you. Let there be no doubt about it,” Hegseth said according to a text on the department’s website.

“President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation’s interests. Let no country on Earth doubt that for a moment,” Hegseth continued.

Hegseth also noted in the speech, “Our borders shouldn’t be the first line of defense for the American homeland. They should be the last line of defense. And that’s why we’re prioritizing our fight against cartels throughout the Western Hemisphere. You can just look at the news, not all of the news.”

“The days in which these narco-terrorists, designated terror organizations, operate freely in our hemisphere are over. These narco-terrorists are the al-Qaida of our hemisphere, and we are hunting them with the same sophistication and precision that we hunted al-Qaida. We are tracking them, we are killing them, and we will keep killing them so long as they are poisoning our people with narcotics so lethal that they’re tantamount to chemical weapons,” Hegseth continued.

Hegseth said America wants alliances, but added, “Where a country cannot or will not do its part, then we at the Department of War will always be ready to take decisive action. In this hemisphere, in our hemisphere, there is no safe haven for narco-terrorists.”

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.