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Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 22:14 IST
US Southern Command struck three terrorist vessels, killing 11 narco-terrorists in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean. No US casualties reported.
US Southern Command said intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations. (US Southern Command/X)
The US on Tuesday said 11 people were killed in the latest strikes on boats that were allegedly smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
In a post on X, the US Southern Command 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."
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
“Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations. 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," it said.
Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported the USS Truxtun (DDG-103), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, struck the USNS Supply (T-AOE-6) while the vessels were conducting a replenishment-at-sea operation.
Also Read: Two US Navy Sailors Injured After Destroyer, Supply Ship Collide During Refuelling: Report
A spokesperson for US Southern Command told media outlets that two sailors sustained minor injuries and are in stable condition.
The collision occurred during a ship-to-ship refuelling manoeuvre, a standard naval operation in which two vessels sail side by side to transfer fuel and supplies. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the ships were part of a broader US military deployment in the Caribbean ordered by President Donald Trump in recent months to combat drug trafficking in the region.
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:
February 17, 2026, 22:14 IST
News world 11 Killed As US Strikes Three Boats Over Alleged Drug Smuggling In Pacific, Caribbean
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