US announces ‘Southern Spear’ mission as forces deploy to South America

US reportedly carries retired 20th onslaught connected a vas successful the Caribbean and Pacific, sidesplitting 4 radical with 'no survivors'.

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has formally announced the motorboat of a US subject cognition to people alleged “narco-terrorists” arsenic Washington’s large-scale build-up of troops, warships and combatant jets continues successful Latin America.

“Today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR. Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and @SOUTHCOM, this ngo defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are sidesplitting our people,” Hegseth said successful a station connected X.

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“The Western Hemisphere is America’s vicinity – and we volition support it,” helium said.

SOUTHCOM is the acronym for US Southern Command, whose country of work covers 31 countries done South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

In a station connected societal media, SOUTHCOM said US Marines were conducting artillery grooming onboard the USS Iwo Jima – an amphibious battle vessel – successful the Caribbean successful enactment of US President Donald Trump’s “priorities to disrupt illicit cause trafficking and support the homeland”.

#Readiness:
A U.S. Marine with @22nd_MEU conducts artillery grooming aboard USS Iwo Jima. U.S. subject forces are deployed to the Caribbean successful enactment of the #SOUTHCOM mission, @DeptofWar-directed operations, and @POTUS' priorities to disrupt illicit cause trafficking and protect… pic.twitter.com/kLaxdHcNKq

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) November 13, 2025

Hegseth’s announcement precocious connected Thursday followed a study that the US subject had carried retired its 20th onslaught connected vessels successful the Caribbean and Pacific, sidesplitting 4 radical earlier this week.

US broadcaster CNN quoted an unnamed US Defense Department authoritative who said determination were “no survivors” from a onslaught connected a fishy cause smuggling vessel, which took spot connected Monday.

The onslaught is the latest reported targeting of radical travelling successful boats successful the Caribbean and Pacific. The US claims it is targeting cause smuggling, but has provided neither grounds nor ineligible justification for launching lethal attacks that person killed immoderate 80 radical truthful far.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacted connected Wednesday to criticism of the US attacks by its G-7 allies, saying that Europeans volition not dictate however Washington chooses to support US nationalist security.

Largest US subject build-up successful Latin America portion successful generations

The naming of Operation Southern Spear comes arsenic the USS Gerald R Ford, the astir precocious US craft carrier, is expected to get disconnected the seashore of Venezuela wrong days, which has been described arsenic an bonzer amusement of US subject powerfulness not seen successful South America successful generations.

The accomplishment of the craft bearer adds to the already important build-up of US troops, naval forces and aerial power, purportedly arsenic portion of Trump’s targeting of Latin American cause trafficking gangs but wide seen arsenic directed astatine the removal of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.

Speaking connected Venezuelan authorities tv connected Wednesday, President Maduro accused the US of creating mendacious narratives to warrant its attacks connected vessels successful determination waters and threatening his country.

“Since they cannot accidental that we person hidden biologic oregon chemic weapons, they invent a bizarre narrative,” said Maduro, who Washington has accused of cause trafficking.

The country’s Ministry of Defence said earlier this week that astir 200,000 troops person been mobilised for a two-day workout to amended Venezuela’s readiness to respond to the “imperialist threat” posed by the increasing US subject beingness successful the region.

Venezuela Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said precocious Tuesday that US subject deployment successful the Caribbean was a “vulgar onslaught against the sovereignty and peace” not lone of Venezuela, but of the full region.

Elizabeth Dickinson, the International Crisis Group’s elder expert for the Andes region, told The Associated Press quality bureau that “there’s thing that an craft bearer brings that is utile for combating the cause trade” successful the region.

“I deliberation it’s intelligibly a connection that is overmuch much geared towards pressuring Caracas,” Dickinson said.