U.S. Forces Kill Two in Feb. 9 Pacific Boat Strike
SOUTHCOM said Gen. Francis L. Donovan ordered a Feb. 9 strike by Joint Task Force Southern Spear that killed two and left one survivor; Ecuador coordinates search.
Overview
On Feb. 9, at the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations that killed two people and left one survivor, SOUTHCOM said.
SOUTHCOM said the U.S. Coast Guard was notified and Ecuador's Maritime Rescue Coordination Center assumed coordination of search-and-rescue operations for the lone survivor.
The administration has labeled those killed in Operation Southern Spear "unlawful combatants" and said a classified Justice Department finding permits the use of lethal strikes, SOUTHCOM said.
Reporting shows conflicting tallies of the campaign's toll, with Pentagon statements tallied by the Intercept putting the total at at least 130 deaths across 38 strikes while other counts cite 121 deaths.
Congressional committees have opened inquiries into the legality of the strikes and plan hearings, according to statements from congressional offices.
Analysis
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Sources (3)
FAQ
Joint Task Force Southern Spear is a U.S. military unit created by USSOUTHCOM in October 2025, headquartered at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, integrating II Marine Expeditionary Force capabilities to conduct counter-narco-terrorist operations against drug cartels in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Eastern Pacific.
On February 9, 2026, Joint Task Force Southern Spear, directed by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in the Eastern Pacific, killing two narco-terrorists and leaving one survivor; the U.S. Coast Guard was notified for search and rescue, with Ecuador coordinating.
The administration labels those killed as unlawful combatants, with a classified Justice Department finding permitting lethal strikes, as stated by SOUTHCOM.
Conflicting reports exist: Pentagon statements tallied by The Intercept indicate at least 130 deaths across 38 strikes, while other counts cite 121 deaths.
Congressional committees have opened inquiries into the legality of the strikes and plan hearings, according to statements from congressional offices.
History
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