On Dec. 22, Joint Task Force Southern Spear, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operated by designated terrorist organizations in international waters along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific, killing one male narco-terrorist, according to U.S. Southern Command. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was engaged in narco-trafficking operations as it transited the area, the command stated in a post early on Dec. 23. No U.S. military forces were harmed in the action, part of Operation Southern Spear. The strike was announced by U.S. Southern Command via a social media post referencing Secretary Hegseth and the Department of War during the three-hour reporting window from 2:15 a.m. to 5:15 a.m. UTC on Dec. 23.
