The conducted a deadly attack against a vessel on Sunday, killing two people that it described as “narco-terrorists.”
Video footage shows the explosive strike on the low-profile vessel.
“On August 23, under the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovans direction, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific,” an Aug. 24 news release stated.
“Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narco-trafficking. The operation killed two narco-terrorists,” the release noted.
The military has executed dozens of strikes against alleged drug trafficking vessels during President second term in office, a policy that has been controversial.
The last time U.S. Southern Command announced such a strike was just over two months ago on June 21 â that strike killed two, but there were six survivors.
“When I ordered the establishment of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, it was precisely for this purpose: to accelerate, synchronize, and execute lethal actions against these destabilizing narco-terrorist networks,” Donovan said, according to the Monday announcement about the strike carried out on Sunday. “We are committed to imposing total systemic friction on narco-terrorists — disrupting their operations, dismantling their leadership, and eliminating cartel terror across the region.”
“Let me be clear, we will not permit narco-terrorists to operate with impunity in the Western Hemisphere, nor will we allow their to reach American communities. This operation is a powerful demonstration of our lethal precision, overwhelming capability, and absolute resolve to protect the U.S. homeland,” he said.
