A new front: U.S. launches “Operation Southern Spear” against cartels

• The U.S. Secretary of War has announced a new military initiative, “Operation Southern Spear,” targeting drug trafficking networks in the Western Hemisphere.
• The announcement follows a recent U.S. strike on an alleged drug-running boat, the 20th such engagement since September, which reportedly killed four individuals.
• The Trump administration has labeled the targets “narco-terrorists,” a designation used to justify the lethal strikes, though the Pentagon has not publicly provided evidence of drug cargo or identified those killed.
• The operation signals a potential escalation in U.S. military involvement in Latin America, with reports of high-level briefings on potential land strikes against Venezuela.
• The campaign has drawn criticism for its legality and has heightened regional tensions, with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro accusing the U.S. of fabricating a war to oust him.

In a significant escalation of military force in Latin America, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a new campaign dubbed “Operation Southern Spear” on Thursday, November 13, 2025. The operation, led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), is framed by the administration as a direct response to the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. The announcement coincided with revelations of another U.S. military strike on an alleged drug-running boat in the Caribbean, underscoring a hardening U.S. posture that is drawing legal scrutiny and raising geopolitical tensions.

The “narco-terrorist” designation and lethal strikes

The Pentagon confirmed that a strike conducted on Monday marked the 20th such engagement since a broader counternarcotics campaign began in early September. Officials reported that the latest strike killed four individuals described as “narco-terrorists,” a term the administration has adopted to justify its actions. According to numbers released by the Trump administration, these maritime strikes have killed at least 79 people to date. However, the Pentagon has publicly offered no evidence to substantiate claims that the targeted vessels were carrying drugs. Furthermore, it has admitted to Congress that it does not know the identities of the people killed in the strikes, raising significant questions about the process for determining targets and the legal basis for the extrajudicial killings.

A legal and strategic gray zone

The ongoing bombing campaign operates in a legal gray area, facing growing criticism from experts who argue it is illegal under both U.S. domestic and international law. The strikes are conducted without judicial oversight or transparent accountability, relying on the administration’s “narco-terrorist” label. This approach represents a continuation of long-standing U.S. drug interdiction efforts but with a more overt and frequent use of lethal force. Historically, U.S. military involvement in Latin America, from the Cold War-era interventions to the Plan Colombia aid package, has been a source of regional controversy. The current campaign, characterized by its high number of strikes and casualties in a short period, marks a more aggressive and unilateral turn in this complex history.

Regional tensions and the Venezuela question

Secretary Hegseth’s announcement signals not just a continuation but a potential expansion of the U.S. military role in the region. The new operation could signal a move toward a more direct confrontation with Venezuela. Earlier on Thursday, CBS News reported that Hegseth, alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine, briefed President Trump on potential military options, including land strikes against the South American nation. The U.S. claims that drug smugglers have links to the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro has vehemently denied these accusations, countering that the U.S. is “fabricating a new war” and that the substantial U.S. naval buildup, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, represents the “greatest threat our continent has faced in the past 100 years” aimed at ousting him from power.

A precarious path forward

The launch of Operation Southern Spear solidifies a hardline U.S. military strategy in its own hemisphere. While the administration frames it as a necessary defense of the homeland against narcotics, the campaign is conducted with limited transparency and amid serious legal concerns. The high casualty count from the initial strikes and the potential for escalation with Venezuela suggest a precarious path forward. The operation places the U.S. on a new and volatile course, one that risks entangling the nation in a complex conflict with deep historical roots and uncertain consequences for regional stability and international law.

Sources for this article include:

News.Antiwar.com

TheHill.com

DW.com