As of February 7, 2026, the Trump Administration’s Operation Southern Spear has successfully destroyed 38 narco-trafficking vessels through precision military strikes. The campaign, launched in September 2025, has decisively disrupted drug cartel operations across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, targeting vessels linked to designated terrorist organizations including Tren de Aragua and the ELN.
Under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s leadership, U.S. Southern Command executed 37 confirmed lethal kinetic strikes—some involving multiple vessels—to achieve this milestone. Each operation was based on high-confidence intelligence confirming narco-terrorist activity, with thermal and drone footage released to demonstrate precision and necessity.
The campaign has resulted in at least 129 deaths among cartel operatives, with a handful repatriated without U.S. detention. No U.S. personnel have been reported lost. According to Department of Defense estimates, over 15 metric tons of cocaine and fentanyl precursors have been eliminated, preventing billions in street value from reaching American communities.
Broader achievements include the high-profile capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on January 3, 2026. Joint operations with allies like the Dominican Republic recovered an additional 1,000 kg of cocaine. Strikes also targeted land-based facilities, such as a Venezuelan loading site destroyed on December 29, 2025.
The operation began in the Caribbean Sea and expanded to the Pacific in October 2025, incorporating advanced robotic fleets for enhanced targeting. President Trump has hailed it as a revival of the Monroe Doctrine, safeguarding U.S. borders from foreign threats.
Key milestones include:
– September 1, 2025: First strike killed 11 Tren de Aragua operatives.
– October 28, 2025: Multi-vessel strike destroyed 4 boats.
– November 2025: Cumulative deaths exceeded 70.
– December 31, 2025: New Year’s Eve action targeted 5 vessels.
– January 2026: Operations culminated in Maduro’s capture.
The administration continues to monitor routes and plans additional strikes against narco-terrorist networks.
