The U.S. has now killed a 200th civilian in military strikes on small boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, a campaign that has continued since September and was newly highlighted by Southern Command releasing color strike footage.
Sens. Tim Kaine and Rand Paul said classified briefings showed the targeted boats were not necessarily carrying drugs or weapons, undercutting the administration's stated rationale that the strikes are stopping fentanyl and other trafficking.
Marco Rubio did not address that point directly in Senate testimony, saying only that each strike is reviewed for legality, while the operation has persisted even after the January U.S. move that ousted Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.
Investigations cited in the report identified 13 victims from very poor communities, with no evidence some were tied to drug trafficking, and local fishing has reportedly been disrupted by fear of further strikes.
Experts cited by the New York Times said cocaine availability in the U.S. remains unchanged, raising broader questions about the effectiveness and legal basis of what the report calls the largest U.S. military deployment in Latin America in decades.
What secret legal framework allows the US military to kill civilians in its undeclared war on 'narcoterrorism'?
Are these Caribbean strikes a cover for a broader geopolitical strategy in Latin America?
Over 20 U.S. Maritime Strikes in Operation Southern Spear: Human Cost, Legal Challenges, and Global Backlash
Overview
Operation Southern Spear remains active as of June 2026, focusing on maritime areas where drug smuggling is common. On May 5, 2026, the U.S. Southern Command released video footage showing a projectile strike against a vessel at sea. Officials stated the targeted boat was involved in drug trafficking along established routes. This strike resulted in the deaths of two individuals identified as 'narco-terrorists.' The incident highlights the operation's ongoing naval actions to disrupt illicit trafficking, with its immediate human cost being the reported deaths of those labeled as combatants by U.S. officials.