The United States military has conducted a lethal precision strike on a narco-trafficking vessel operated by a designated terrorist organization in the Caribbean, killing three militants, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The nighttime operation marks the 15th successful interdiction since September 2025 under President Donald Trump’s intensified anti-cartel campaign.

Unclassified infrared footage released shortly after the announcement shows a small vessel under U.S. surveillance before a targeted explosion destroys it at sea. The strike reportedly neutralized all three individuals aboard, described by defense officials as “foreign nationals linked to a transnational criminal and terror-financing network.”

“This operation is another clear message to cartels and terror groups,” Hegseth said in a statement. “If you traffic in narcotics, weapons, or human lives, and threaten the United States or our allies—you will be found, and you will be dealt with.”

The Trump administration’s anti-cartel campaign, launched earlier this year, represents one of the most aggressive maritime counterterrorism efforts in modern history. U.S. Southern Command has confirmed multiple successful strikes targeting vessels suspected of carrying drugs, cash, and weapons tied to foreign militant organizations operating in the Western Hemisphere.

Defense analysts note that the Caribbean corridor has become an increasingly critical route for cartel operations that blend drug trafficking with terrorism financing. The administration’s policy—integrating counterterror and anti-narcotics missions—has been widely praised by supporters as a decisive shift toward restoring U.S. maritime dominance and protecting American borders from transnational threats.

President Trump’s directive empowers the military to take preemptive action against vessels and facilities identified as dual-use threats—supporting both narcotics smuggling and terror logistics. The White House says these missions have “saved countless American lives” by intercepting lethal flows of fentanyl, weapons, and cartel profits before reaching U.S. soil.

As footage of the strike circulates online, national security officials reaffirmed that all operations comply with international law and were conducted in coordination with regional partners. The vessel’s destruction marks another victory in what Hegseth called “a relentless campaign to secure the Western Hemisphere.”

“America’s enemies have nowhere to hide,” he added. “This President means business.”