Overview
- U.S. Southern Command said three people were killed when the lead boat in a three‑vessel convoy was hit on Dec. 30, and occupants of the other two boats jumped overboard before those vessels were destroyed.
- The command posted short video clips of the convoy and alleged narcotics were transferred between the boats prior to the strikes, while offering no public evidence beyond the edited footage.
- The Coast Guard activated search‑and‑rescue operations, deployed a C‑130, and a U.S. official said up to eight people abandoned their vessels, with reporting indicating the incident occurred in the Pacific.
- SOUTHCOM later reported a separate Dec. 31 strike on two additional vessels that killed five people, bringing the campaign’s death toll to at least 115 across more than 30 boat attacks since September.
- Officials said the actions were ordered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth under Operation Southern Spear and described the targeted operators as designated terrorist groups, as congressional and legal scrutiny of the campaign continues.