U.S. Task Force Strikes Alleged Drug Boat in Eastern Pacific

On Jan. 23, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific that killed two people and left one survivor, U.S. Southern Command said.

The strike was the first publicly announced attack since the Jan. 3 capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a large-scale operation in Caracas, according to Pentagon and administration announcements.

Nicolás Maduro denied U.S. allegations that his government aided drug trafficking, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters in a December Cabinet meeting that Adm. Frank M. Bradley 'made the correct decision' and 'we have his back,' officials confirmed.

U.S. military and administration announcements show 36 known strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats since early September that have killed at least 117 people, while Pentagon statements previously tallied 35 strikes and 114 deaths, officials confirmed.

The Coast Guard was notified to activate search-and-rescue for the survivor, and congressional lawmakers have signaled plans for further oversight and possible war powers scrutiny, according to congressional and military officials.