Operation Southern Spear

The Trump-era Department of Justice claims presidential communications privilege to block disclosure of an Office of Legal Counsel memo about drone strikes on suspected drug cartel boats. The ACLU and Center for Constitutional Rights filed a FOIA request seeking the memo, arguing it concerns military authority for lethal strikes, while the DOJ asserts the document contains sensitive, classified information. The case hinges on whether the memo's legal guidance remains protected by privilege or has become public policy.

The Trump administration's timeline details 60 lethal strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, resulting in 197 deaths (including 13 missing/presumed dead) and 5 survivors. Strikes were conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear under SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, with notifications to the U.S. Coast Guard for search-and-rescue operations. The timeline includes specific dates and outcomes for the 56th through 60th strikes.

The U.S. military conducted lethal strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific starting September 2025, and captured Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 for prosecution. Legal analyses in the collection examine the operations' compliance with domestic and international law, including maritime law, head of state immunity, and presidential authority to use force.

The Pentagon launched Operation Southern Spear in 2025 to target alleged drug-smuggling boats. The operation's details and goals are not fully disclosed. The internal watchdog will probe US strikes on these boats.

The Trump administration's claims of reducing drug flows into the US through attacks on civilian boats are baseless and phony, with experts calling the assertions laughable. The operation has killed over 185 civilians since September. The strikes are considered illegal and extrajudicial killings by experts.

The U.S. Southern Command conducted a lethal strike on a vessel allegedly operated by designated terrorist organizations in the Eastern Pacific, killing three people. This marks the 55th such strike since September, with 186 deaths reported under the Trump administration's anti-drug trafficking operations. The action has faced criticism for lack of transparency and potential harm to innocent individuals.

The U.S. military conducted its 55th strike since September against a vessel accused of narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, killing three people. The operation, led by the Southern Command, targeted a boat linked to Designated Terrorist Organizations, amid ongoing controversy over civilian casualties and lack of evidence. Critics, including Sen. Rand Paul, question the strikes' legality and potential harm to innocent individuals.

A new analysis by Brown University’s Costs of War Project reveals U.S. military operations in Venezuela and the Caribbean, including Operations Absolute Resolve and Southern Spear, have cost taxpayers at least $4.7 billion between August 2025 and March 2026. The Pentagon has not disclosed costs, and researchers warn the figure is an undercount, with naval deployments accounting for $3.8 billion alone.

The US military destroyed a vessel in the Pacific Ocean during Operation Southern Spear, resulting in the deaths of three individuals labeled as 'narco-terrorists'. The operation is part of counter-narco-terrorism efforts in the region.

The US military destroyed a vessel in the Pacific Ocean during Operation Southern Spear, killing three 'narco-terrorists'. The operation is part of counter-narcotics efforts targeting illicit activities.

The U.S. military, under the Trump administration, has conducted 50 boat strikes in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, killing 171 civilians and destroying 51 vessels. These actions, part of Operation Southern Spear and Operation Total Extermination, target suspected cartel members but face criticism for being illegal extrajudicial killings.