A new military campaign to combat drug-affiliated armed groups in Latin America has been unveiled by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
According to reports, the move coincides with growing worries that Washington’s growing naval presence in the area may precede land strikes and turn into a larger battle.
On Thursday, November 13, Hegseth announced the start of Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR in a message posted on his official 𝕏 Twitter. According to Hegseth, the mission’s goals are to preserve the US homeland and eradicate terror groups that are motivated by drugs from the Western Hemisphere.
Hegseth stated, “Today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR,” in his succinct statement. This goal protects our country from the drugs that are murdering our citizens, eliminates narco-terrorists from our hemisphere, and defends our country.
However, the Defense Secretary withheld information about the operation’s specifics, the extent of US involvement, and how it would be different from current military operations.
When questioned about the mission’s goals, a Pentagon spokesman directed reporters to the same social media post.
According to reports, the government of President Donald Trump has been conducting a massive military campaign against drugs in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean, using air and naval resources to blockade vessels connected to drug gangs.
US data shows that since early September, US forces had attacked roughly 20 vessels in the region’s international waters, killing at least 76 people.
The new statement coincides with analysts cautioning that a larger US military presence may indicate plans to become more involved in South American crises.
Senior US military officials reportedly gave President Trump revised options for potential operations in Venezuela, including land-based military strikes, according to a CBS News report on Wednesday.
Concerns that Operation Southern Spear might be a part of a larger strategy change that expands Washington’s involvement from marine interdictions to direct action on Venezuelan territory have been raised by the study.
Venezuela launched on Tuesday what it called a significant nationwide military mobilization in response to the rising US naval presence close to its coasts.
According to Naija News, the US just moved six more Navy ships, an aircraft carrier strike group, and F-35 stealth fighter fighters to Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.
Caracas claims that Washington’s activities, especially the carrier group movement, are a part of a clandestine scheme to topple President Nicolás Maduro’s administration.
The new US mission, according to Venezuelan officials, is an escalation intended to pave the way for regime change.
Regional commentators caution that Operation Southern Spear may spark one of the worst hemispheric security crises in decades if tensions increase and both sides’ forces adopt a more assertive stance.
For the new mission, the US has not yet released a formal operational brief or timeline.
