All articles tagged with #southcom
The US Southern Command says it struck a low-profile vessel suspected of narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, killing two people, as part of Operation Southern Spear aimed at disrupting cartels. The move is framed as a demonstration of lethal precision and commitment to protecting the U.S. homeland, but rights groups warn of possible extrajudicial killings and a Pentagon inspector general review of targeting procedures.
The commander of U.S. Southern Command, Gen. Francis Donovan, met with Cuban military leaders at the perimeter of Guantánamo Bay for a brief exchange on operational security—one of the rare high-level contacts between Washington and Havana amid rising U.S. pressure on Cuba and ongoing security concerns tied to the Guantánamo base.
After nearly 10 months in U.S. Southern Command, the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are heading home to Norfolk. Redirected from Europe and briefly returning to Norfolk to dodge Hurricane Erin, the ARG/MEU supported Operation Southern Spear against illicit narcotics boats, reinforced U.S. embassies in Haiti and Venezuela, delivered humanitarian aid to Jamaica, and conducted bilateral exercises. San Antonio had already returned; Iwo Jima and Fort Lauderdale remained in the Caribbean as other forces regroup. SOUTHCOM continued narcotics interdictions—one May 26 strike killed a man and left two survivors, and a separate go-fast vessel seizure yielded 1,153 kilograms of cocaine—while the Coast Guard searches for survivors.
The United States and Ecuador have launched joint military operations inside Ecuador against designated terrorist organizations as part of an ongoing campaign against narcotics networks, with few details released and praise from U.S. Southern Command; the operation appears to extend prior regional strikes amid Ecuador's security challenges tied to gangs and drug trafficking.
The US military, via SOUTHCOM, says it carried out a lethal strike on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific, killing two people. The strike is part of Operation Southern Spear and marks the second known attack this year with no US casualties reported. While the administration says the campaign aims to curb narcotics trafficking, Congress and military lawyers have raised questions about its legality, and the identities of those killed remain unclear. The broader context includes ongoing US pressure in the region and discussions surrounding Nicolás Maduro's status and charges in the Americas.
The Senate confirmed Marine Lt. Gen. Francis Donovan as four-star commander of U.S. Southern Command to succeed Adm. Alvin Holsey. Donovan, with a background in Marine and special operations, will oversee continued counterdrug strikes and operations related to Maduro’s Venezuela, including past Absolute Resolve actions, while aligning SOUTHCOM with the White House NSS and Pentagon’s focus on homeland defense and Western Hemisphere challenges. The piece also notes rising U.S.-Cuba tensions following Maduro-related actions and Trump-era measures, with concerns about China and Russia cooperation impacting regional security.
The U.S. military says a strike in the eastern Pacific on Jan. 23 killed two people and left one survivor aboard a vessel suspected of drug trafficking. SOUTHCOM stated the vessel was operated by designated terrorist organizations, and the Coast Guard is coordinating search and rescue for the survivor. The strike is part of Operation Southern Spear, an ongoing campaign to curb narcotics trafficking into the U.S., a campaign that has seen at least 117 fatalities across similar strikes so far this year.
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group has arrived in the U.S. Southern Command area to support operations against Latin American drug cartels, deploying over 60 aircraft and additional naval forces to enhance efforts in disrupting narcotics trafficking, amid broader US military actions in the region.
The commander of US Southern Command, Adm. Alvin Holsey, is retiring after 37 years, amid ongoing US military operations against drug trafficking in the Caribbean and rising tensions with Venezuela, including recent strikes on alleged drug boats and increased military activity in the region.
Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of US Southern Command, is retiring in December after less than a year in the role, amid concerns over US military actions in Latin America and political instability, with some officials viewing his resignation as a troubling sign for US-Venezuela relations.
U.S. Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, who oversees military operations against alleged drug boats off Venezuela, is set to retire in December after serving over 37 years, amid ongoing controversy over the legality of recent strikes in the region.
The US military is deploying over 4,000 troops and additional assets around Latin America and the Caribbean to demonstrate force and prepare for potential actions against drug cartels, primarily as a show of strength with broad military options available, amid ongoing regional security concerns.