US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday announced “Operation Southern Spear” in a post on X, saying the mission was aimed at defending the United States against drug cartels.
“This mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people,” Hegseth wrote.
He gave no details on what the operation would involve or how it would differ from military activities already under way.
Asked to clarify the scope of Operation Southern Spear, a Pentagon spokesperson referred questions back to Hegseth’s brief statement on X.
The Trump administration is already running a military campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, deploying naval and air forces in what it describes as an anti-drugs offensive.
US forces have struck 21 vessels in international waters in the region since early September, killing at least 76 people, according to US figures.
The announcement of Operation Southern Spear comes as US deployments at sea and in the air have raised concerns in the region that Washington may be preparing for wider action on land.
CBS News reported on Wednesday, citing multiple sources, that senior military officials had presented President Donald Trump with updated options for potential operations in Venezuela, including possible land strikes.
Venezuela on Tuesday announced what it described as a major, nationwide military deployment in response to the expanded US naval presence off its coast, including the arrival of a US aircraft carrier strike group in nearby waters.
The US buildup also includes F-35 stealth fighters sent to Puerto Rico and six US Navy ships in the Caribbean, Venezuelan officials say.
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Source: France24, Onet