US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday the launch of a military operation aimed at “removing narco-terrorists,” amid growing concerns that a US naval build-up in Latin American waters could signal potential land strikes and a wider conflict.
“Today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR,” Hegseth posted on X. “This mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.”
The post provided no further details on the scope of the operation or how it might differ from existing US military actions in the region.
The Trump administration has been conducting an anti-drug military campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, deploying naval and air forces to target smuggling operations. US forces have reportedly struck around 20 vessels in international waters since early September, killing at least 76 people, according to US figures.
When asked for clarification on the specific nature of Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR, a Pentagon spokesperson referred inquiries back to Hegseth’s post on X.
CBS News reported Wednesday, citing multiple sources, that senior US military officials had presented Trump with updated options for potential operations in Venezuela, including land-based strikes.
In response, Venezuela announced Tuesday a major nationwide military deployment to counter the growing US presence off its coast, which includes a newly arrived US aircraft carrier strike group. Caracas has expressed concerns that the deployment, which also includes F-35 stealth jets sent to Puerto Rico and six US Navy ships in the Caribbean, may be a covert attempt at regime change.
