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58m ago

U.S. Unveils 'Southern Spear' as Carrier Strike Group Enters Caribbean

The Pentagon casts the campaign as counter-narcotics, but recent ship attacks that killed about 80 people and prompted Venezuelan mobilization and European legal objections are intensifying the standoff.

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Overview

  • Defense chief Pete Hegseth announced the SOUTHCOM-led operation, leaving locations and timelines unspecified while emphasizing a mission against so-called narcoterrorists.
  • The USS Gerald R. Ford strike group is now operating in the region, with the Navy releasing new photos of the carrier and escorts as the ship’s transponder remains off for operational security.
  • U.S. officials report roughly 20 strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific in recent weeks, resulting in about 76–80 deaths, without publicly presenting evidence that the boats were trafficking drugs.
  • Caracas activated nationwide military exercises, backed a new command law for integral defense, and rallied militia forces in response to the U.S. buildup.
  • European officials argue lethal actions in international waters breach international law, Colombia paused intelligence sharing over the boat strikes, and Rubio rejected the EU’s legal critique.