Overview
- U.S. Southern Command said a Dec. 30 strike hit a three‑boat convoy in international waters, killing three on the first vessel as others on two boats jumped overboard before their craft were sunk.
- The command later reported Dec. 31 strikes on two additional vessels that killed five more people, with no locations disclosed beyond previously used Caribbean and eastern Pacific routes.
- The Coast Guard activated search and rescue, deploying a C‑130 and coordinating with nearby ships, as officials said as many as eight people abandoned the targeted vessels.
- Southern Command attributed the actions to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s direction and Joint Task Force Southern Spear, saying intelligence showed drug transfers between boats but providing limited public evidence.
- Reported fatalities since September now total roughly 110 to 115 across outlets, as lawmakers and legal experts scrutinize the campaign following earlier incidents involving survivors and as broader U.S. pressure on Venezuela intensifies.