Overview
- Southern Command said Joint Task Force Southern Spear hit a three‑boat convoy on Dec. 30, killing three people on the first vessel as others abandoned the remaining boats.
- U.S. officials said as many as eight people jumped overboard, and the Coast Guard activated search-and-rescue with a C‑130 aircraft and nearby vessels.
- The military alleged the boats had transferred narcotics and were operated by designated terrorist organizations, but did not release evidence or disclose the precise location.
- The latest action brings the campaign to roughly 33–34 strikes and at least 110 deaths since September, drawing legal and congressional scrutiny after a prior follow-up strike killed survivors.
- The strikes coincide with broader U.S. pressure on Venezuela, including new sanctions and a reported CIA drone attack on a coastal facility believed linked to smuggling operations.