US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has announced a new military operation against “narco-terrorists” amidst the ongoing tensions with Venezuela and military strikes on alleged cartel boats in the Caribbean.
Hegseth, in a post on X, wrote, “Today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR.”
“Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our hemisphere, and secures our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.
The western hemisphere is our neighbourhood, and we will protect it,” he wrote.
Hegseth did not specify whether the operation would expand on the strikes against the drug cartel gangs in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea.
The US has carried out multiple strikes in recent months, destroying 20 boats and killing 80 people in an alleged fight against drug cartels.
Also Read: Colombia to stop intelligence sharing with US over boat strikes
Citing US defence officials, reports on Friday claimed that US Southern Command briefed President Donald Trump on targets inside Venezuela as part of Operation Southern Spear.
Sources from the US Department of War said, “Trump did not confirm his intentions on carrying out military action against Venezuela.”
The US, however, has imposed sweeping sanctions on Caracas during Trump’s first term and placed a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Trump also deployed a small naval fleet, including the prized aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, to the region, while Venezuela put its army on alert.
Maduro has denied any involvement in drug trafficking and warned the US against starting a “crazy war”.
He also accused Trump of using the cartels to seek regime change in the country.
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