U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the launch of a new military operation named “Southern Spear,” aimed at “eliminating terrorist drug traffickers” in the western hemisphere.
In a post on platform X, Hegseth stated, “Today, I announce the launch of Operation Southern Spear… This mission aims to defend our homeland, eradicate terrorist drug traffickers in the western hemisphere, and protect our country from drugs that are killing our citizens.”
He emphasized that “the western hemisphere is America’s neighbor, and we will protect it,” without providing further details about the nature of the operation or how it differs from ongoing military actions.
This announcement coincided with the U.S. military executing its twentieth strike on Monday, targeting a boat suspected of being used for drug trafficking, resulting in the death of four “terrorist drug traffickers” in the Caribbean, according to U.S. media reports.
Since the onset of this intensified campaign against drug trafficking in September, U.S. forces have reportedly eliminated at least 80 individuals identified as involved in these illegal activities.
Operations have primarily been conducted in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific regions as part of a strategy to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S.
Additionally, Hegseth had previously announced in early October the establishment of a joint task force by the Pentagon specializing in combating drug cartels in the Caribbean, under the jurisdiction of U.S. Southern Command.
According to U.S. authorities, these new measures reflect a commitment to intensify military responses against networks involved in drug trafficking off American shores.
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