Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – According to a statement released on social media by the U.S. Southern Command on February 17, the U.S. Joint Task Force "Southern Spear" conducted three deadly strikes on three ships accused by the U.S. of being "drug trafficking vessels" in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean region on the evening of February 16, resulting in 11 deaths. All three ships were described by the U.S. as "drug terrorists." This operation is the latest measure taken by the U.S. military since it launched routine anti-drug operations in September 2025. To date, related attacks have resulted in at least 140 deaths within six months, and their legality continues to be questioned by the international community.
I. Operation Details: Simultaneous Strikes in Two Locations, Clear Distribution of the Dead
According to the U.S. military statement, of the three ships attacked, two were located in the Eastern Pacific, each resulting in 4 deaths; one was located in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in 3 deaths. There were no U.S. casualties in the operation. The U.S. military stated that these vessels were operated by "identified terrorist organizations" and sailed along "known drug smuggling routes," but released no substantive evidence to substantiate the drug allegations.
It is noteworthy that the U.S. military officially named this series of strikes "Operation Southern Spear" on November 13, 2025. Similar maritime strikes had been conducted multiple times in the same area prior to this, with at least three such operations carried out between January and February 2026 alone, resulting in the deaths of 2, 4, and now 11 people, respectively.
II. Key Controversy: Lack of Conclusive Evidence, Suspected "Extrajudicial Execution"
Since the operation began, the Trump administration has consistently failed to provide conclusive evidence proving that the attacked vessels and personnel were indeed involved in drug trafficking activities. This core issue has drawn widespread international scrutiny. In October 2025, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued a statement explicitly characterizing such attacks by the US military as "extrajudicial killings," pointing out that the actions violated international human rights law. According to international law, lethal force should only be used as a last resort to address imminent threats to life, and publicly available information from the US indicates that the attacked vessel did not pose an immediate danger to the lives of others. Several international law experts agree with this view. A Harvard Law School study indicates that the US military action may have violated principles of the International Law on the Use of Force, and the current UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs does not authorize such lethal strikes.
Furthermore, the US military has previously been embroiled in controversy surrounding "secondary attacks on survivors." While the US Secretary of Defense denied directly ordering such attacks, the incidents have drawn bipartisan attention in the US Congress, with some members supporting an investigation into the legality of the actions. III. International Appeals: Stop Illegal Attacks, Launch Independent Investigations
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has explicitly urged the United States in a statement to immediately cease such attacks, take necessary measures to avoid extrajudicial killings, and called for a swift, independent, and transparent investigation into all attacks. As of now, the United States has not responded to these appeals, and Operation Southern Spear continues.
