Operation Southern Spear: US Military Strikes on Vessels in Caribbean and Pacific
A total of 50 strikes have been reported, destroying 51 vessels and resulting in 171 reported fatalities. The Trump administration has described these actions as part of an armed conflict with Latin American drug cartels.
The United States military has been conducting a series of strikes against vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean since early September. The operation, named Operation Southern Spear, targets vessels the US government alleges are involved in drug trafficking by designated terrorist organizations.
The legality and nature of the strikes have been challenged by international bodies, legal experts, human rights groups, and some members of the US Congress.
Operational Overview
Scope and Timeline
According to reports from US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the military campaign involves multiple strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean. The operation, initiated under the administration of former President Donald Trump, targets vessels the US describes as engaged in narco-trafficking and operated by designated terrorist organizations. The US military has not publicly named specific groups.
The tally compiled from multiple sources indicates the operation has resulted in:
- 50 strikes conducted
- 51 vessels destroyed
- 171 fatalities reported
The campaign began with an initial strike on September 2. A subsequent strike on that date has drawn scrutiny, with reports indicating that a follow-up attack killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage of the boat.
Recent Strike Activity (April 11-13)
Over three days in mid-April, the US military reported conducting three strikes:
- April 11: Two strikes in the Pacific Ocean.
- First strike resulted in two fatalities and one vessel wrecked. A person from this incident was reported missing; search efforts were later suspended, and the individual is presumed dead.
- Second strike resulted in three fatalities.
- April 13: A strike in the Eastern Pacific Ocean resulted in two fatalities.
Following the April 13 strike, US Southern Command alerted the US Coast Guard to a person in distress. The Coast Guard initiated search efforts that involved a French-flagged cargo ship and a US-flagged research vessel. The search was suspended on April 15 after no signs of survivors or debris were found.
US Government Justification
The Trump administration has characterized the operations as a non-international armed conflict against drug cartels and criminal organizations. US officials state the targets are members of these groups, who are described as "narco-terrorists."
The administration argues the actions are necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.
The campaign has reportedly expanded to include joint military actions along the Colombia-Ecuador border. Joseph Humire, the acting assistant secretary of war for homeland defense and Americas security affairs, announced a joint US-Ecuador effort named "Operation Total Extermination."
Legal and International Scrutiny
The legality of Operation Southern Spear has been questioned by multiple international bodies, legal experts, human rights organizations, and some members of the US Congress.
International Law and Human Rights Concerns
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk stated that the strikes raise concerns regarding international law and the use of lethal force. He stated the attacks "find no justification in international law" and amount to "extrajudicial killing," calling for an immediate halt and independent investigation.
Mr. Türk noted that addressing illicit drug trafficking across international borders is considered a law-enforcement matter, subject to international human rights law concerning lethal force.
Ben Saul, the United Nations special rapporteur on protecting rights while countering terrorism, stated that international law does not authorize the use of military force on the high seas to kill suspected drug traffickers. He characterized the US military's announcements of these attacks as confessions to the "murder of civilians at sea."
Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), stated the strikes could be classified as crimes against humanity under international law, characterizing the campaign as a planned, systematic attack against civilians during peacetime.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have stated the strikes amount to "unlawful extrajudicial killings."
US Legal and Congressional Debate
The Trump administration asserts its actions are consistent with the laws of armed conflict and that it has the legal authority to conduct these operations in international waters. The administration argued that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over the United States.
Critics of the operations include:
- Legal experts, who argue the strikes could constitute illegal, extrajudicial killings because they deliberately target civilians who do not pose an imminent threat.
- Some members of Congress, from both major parties, who have questioned the legal basis and the president's authority to order these operations. Concerns include the lack of public evidence connecting the victims to drug cartels and reports that follow-up strikes may have killed survivors.
- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) described the administration's assertions as "unsubstantiated, fear-mongering claims" and stated the organization is seeking an investigation by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
Legal Challenges
In January, a federal lawsuit was filed against the US government on behalf of families of two men from Trinidad killed in an October strike in the Caribbean. The lawsuit alleges the killings lacked legal justification.
Evidence and Casualty Information
The US military has released video footage of several strikes on social media. However, the US military has not publicly provided what it describes as definitive evidence linking the targeted vessels to drug trafficking.
The American Civil Liberties Union has stated that investigations indicated some of those killed were fishermen.
The families of a man identified as Alejandro Carranza from Colombia and the families of two men from Trinidad have filed legal complaints, denying their involvement in criminal activity. US Representatives Joaquin Castro and Sara Jacobs wrote to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights expressing concern about the killings, noting that the names and nationalities of most victims remain unknown.
Search and Rescue Operations
Search efforts for survivors of strikes have rarely resulted in rescues. Reports indicate a specific incident on December 30 where a Coast Guard plane did not reach the site of an attack for nearly two days following a strike that resulted in 11 fatalities.
A rare exception occurred after a strike on March 19. The Coast Guard rescued one survivor, identified by Costa Rican authorities as José David Torres Hurtado, a Colombian national who remains hospitalized. The deceased from that incident were identified as two Ecuadoran citizens.