Three suspected narco-terrorists killed in US military strike on drug-trafficking vessel in Eastern Pacific

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said Tuesday that the U.S. military carried out a lethal strike on a vessel in the [Eastern Pacific](https://www.foxnews.com/category/world/world-regions/pacific), killing three suspected narco-terrorists. The strike, which was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear at the direction of Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, targeted a vessel that was operating along known narco-trafficking corridors and engaged in narco-trafficking activity.  No U.S. service members were injured in the operation, according [to SOUTHCOM](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-military-strikes-narco-terrorist-vessels). "Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," the command wrote on X. "Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed." [**US MILITARY KILLS 3 IN LATEST STRIKE ON A SUSPECTED DRUG VESSEL IN THE PACIFIC**](https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-military-kills-3-latest-strike-suspected-drug-vessel-pacific) SOUTHCOM did not immediately release further information about those killed. The U.S. military has carried out numerous strikes in recent months on suspected drug-smuggling vessels as part of a broader campaign to dismantle [cartel-linked trafficking](https://www.foxnews.com/world/cartels-fear-us-retaliation-trump-era-pressure-reshapes-strategy-they-fear-united-states) operations. The announcement comes a day after SOUTHCOM said it conducted a similar strike in the Caribbean on Monday, killing two suspected drug traffickers. [**US KILLS 2 MORE SUSPECTED DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN BOAT STRIKE**](https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-kills-2-suspected-drug-traffickers-boat-strike) Earlier, on April 24, SOUTHCOM carried out a lethal strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing two suspected narco-terrorists. That strike followed less than a week after SOUTHCOM said it [conducted an operation](https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/military) in the Caribbean, killing three suspected narco-terrorists. [**US MILITARY LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER AUTONOMOUS WARFARE COMMAND TO DEPLOY UNMANNED SYSTEMS ACROSS LATIN AMERICA**](https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-military-launches-first-ever-autonomous-warfare-command-deploy-unmanned-systems-across-latin-america) SOUTHCOM is responsible for military operations in Central and [South America](https://www.foxnews.com/category/world/world-regions/latin-america) and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks that threaten U.S. interests. The Eastern Pacific remains a key corridor for narcotics trafficking, with cartels often using small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs toward the U.S. and Central America. _Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz, Michael Sinkewicz, Alex Nitzberg and Greg Wehner contributed to this report._