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US strike kills four in Caribbean, military says (Img: X/Southcom)
Washington: A US military strike on a vessel in the Caribbean killed four people allegedly involved in drug trafficking, the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said on Saturday. Vessel was targeted as part of the Trump administration's continuing campaign against suspected narcotics networks in the region.
In a statement, SOUTHCOM said Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere carried out the operation on September 19 against a “go-fast vessel” travelling along established drug-trafficking routes in the Caribbean.
“On September 19, under the direction of #SOUTHCOM, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal, kinetic strike on a go-fast vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean," the command said.
“Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narcotrafficking. The operation killed four narco-terrorists," it added.
SOUTHCOM also released video footage showing what appeared to be a moving vessel before a strike. However, the US military did not publicly provide further evidence showing that the boat was carrying drugs.
On September 19, under the direction of #SOUTHCOM, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal, kinetic strike on a go-fast vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean. Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel's active involvement in… pic.twitter.com/LPNJ5ec3GU
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) September 19, 2026
The fresh operation came around 10 days after another US strike in the Caribbean. According to the US military, three people were killed in the strike.
The latest attack is part of a wider campaign launched by the Trump administration against groups it describes as “narco-terrorists”. Officials have said the operations are intended to disrupt drug trafficking and prevent narcotics from reaching the United States.
The US military's strikes against vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific have face criticism from the rights groups, with some describing the attacks as “extrajudicial killings.”
The US administration has defended the strikes as necessary action against criminal organisations involved in the drug trade. US President Donald Trump has also described the United States as being in “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels.
Washington has also been seeking to expand the campaign through cooperation with governments across Latin America.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a visit to Panama last month that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow joint US operations against criminal groups on their territory. Guatemala later denied that such an agreement had been reached.
