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U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class Scott Easley, with the Maritime Security Response Team, conducts a basic initial safety inspection in the lower decks of a fishing vessel in Gambia's exclusive economic zone off the coast of West Africa June 20, 2012, in support of African M
Photo: MC1 Daniel Mennuto | Public domain | Wikimedia Commons

U.S. Strike Destroys Alleged Narco-Sub In Pacific, Killing Two Aboard

On Sunday, August 23, 2026, the U.S. military struck and destroyed a boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people aboard.[1]

U.S. Southern Command described the target as a vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes and released strike video on X.[1]

Operation Southern Spear, launched in September 2025, has included maritime strikes that U.S. officials say have killed more than 200 people since then.[1]

The Pentagon's inspector general is reviewing whether the strikes follow the Joint Targeting Cycle, but it is not examining their legality.[1]

  1. CBS News
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📌 Key Facts

  • On Sunday, August 23, 2026, the U.S. military struck and destroyed a boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people aboard.
  • U.S. Southern Command described the target as a vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes and released strike video on X.
  • The strike is part of Operation Southern Spear, under which more than 200 people have been killed in maritime strikes since September 2025.
  • The Pentagon’s inspector general is reviewing whether these strikes follow the Joint Targeting Cycle but is not examining their legality.

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