US military kills two in latest strike on alleged drug-smuggling vessel, leaves one survivor

The strike was part of "Joint Task Force Southern Spear" which targets alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Published: January 23, 2026 6:41pm

The United States Southern Command said Friday that two alleged "narco-terrorists" were killed in its latest kinetic strike on a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, and that one person survived.

The strike comes after the Trump administration faced scrutiny over the handling of an attack in September, where a second strike was conducted on a single drug ship to allegedly kill two survivors of the first strike. 

The strike was part of "Joint Task Force Southern Spear" which targets alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. The military has conducted dozens of strikes in recent months, which have killed over 100 people.

"Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,"  SOUTHCOM said on X. "Two narco-terrorists were killed and one survived the strike. Following the engagement, SOUTHCOM immediately notified [the U.S. Coast Guard] to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivor."

The Coast Guard has not commented on its rescue operation. 

 Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

The Facts Inside Our Reporter's Notebook

Unlock unlimited access

  • No Ads Within Stories
  • No Autoplay Videos
  • VIP access to exclusive Just the News newsmaker events hosted by John Solomon and his team.
  • Support the investigative reporting and honest news presentation you've come to enjoy from Just the News.
  • Just the News Spotlight

    Support Just the News