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In a statement posted to X, U.S. Southern Command explained the scope and authorization behind the mission:
“On Dec. 15, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking. A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions—three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third.”
The strikes came on the same day President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order officially classifying fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. The order dramatically expands the federal government’s authority to combat drug cartels, framing large-scale narcotics trafficking as a national security threat comparable to terrorism.
Under the order, the Secretary of War and the Secretary of Homeland Security are directed to “update all directives regarding the Armed Forces’ response to chemical incidents in the homeland to include the threat of illicit fentanyl.” The move signals a hardline approach that treats cartel operations as organized enemy attacks rather than routine criminal activity.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are reportedly scheduled to brief U.S. Senators this week on the recent strikes and the broader campaign against cartel-linked maritime trafficking.
According to WENY News, the two cabinet officials will address lawmakers Tuesday regarding strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. While the administration maintains the operations are necessary to protect Americans from deadly narcotics flooding across U.S. borders, some members of Congress have demanded additional details about the legal framework guiding the missions.
More than 20 publicly acknowledged strikes have occurred so far, resulting in over 80 deaths tied to designated foreign narcotics trafficking organizations. Critics on Capitol Hill have pressed for transparency, particularly after reports surfaced claiming U.S. forces conducted follow-up strikes on survivors of earlier attacks.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat who sits on both the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, said last week that video footage of at least one controversial strike should be released to the public.
The controversy has intensified following reports that some Democratic lawmakers urged U.S. service members to defy orders from President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, alleging the strikes were unlawful. That demand sparked outrage among veterans, military experts, and Americans across the political spectrum who warned that encouraging insubordination undermines military discipline and national security.
A November 29 report from the Washington Post attempted to bolster claims of illegality by citing anonymous sources who alleged Hegseth ordered troops to “kill everybody” aboard targeted vessels and authorized secondary strikes against survivors clinging to wreckage. Rep. Seth Moulton echoed those accusations, calling the operations “blatantly illegal” and warning, “Mark my words: It may take some time, but Americans will be prosecuted for this, either as a war crime or outright murder.”
Hegseth forcefully rejected those allegations, condemning what he described as “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting.” He emphasized that every strike has been carefully reviewed and approved through the proper legal channels.
“Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict—and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command,” Hegseth said.
As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, the U.S. military has not slowed its campaign. The 22nd strike was carried out on December 4, bringing the total number of eliminated designated foreign terrorist narcotics traffickers to nearly 100 as of early December—underscoring that the administration has no intention of backing down in its fight to defend America from cartel-driven chaos.
