US strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific (Operation Southern Spear)
Since 2 September 2025 the US military has struck small boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that it says carry drugs, killing over 220 people by September 2026. Named Operation Southern Spear in November 2025, the campaign came with a naval build-up that preceded the January 2026 capture of Nicolas Maduro. Rights groups call the strikes unlawful.
Strike map
Click a shape for details and sourcesZones, lines of contact and strike arcs are approximate and illustrative, drawn from public reporting. They are not authoritative; click a shape for its sources. Borders from Natural Earth, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine in line with UN General Assembly resolution 68/262.
Key facts
Reported strikes
| Date | Target | By | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 2025 | First boat strike, southern Caribbean off Venezuela (11 killed; both points approximate) | United States | CBC News as of 2 Sep 2025 |
Arcs on the map run from the reported launch area to the target and are approximate.
Human cost
- 205 reportedPolitiFact as of 2 Jun 2026Cumulative death toll after the 30 May 2026 strike (earlier date; same scope).
- 227 reportedHuman Rights Watch as of 2 Sep 2026People killed in US boat strikes since 2 Sept 2025 (69 strikes), Caribbean and Pacific.
- 231 reportedThe Rio Times (citing The Hindu tally) as of 20 Sep 2026People killed across 69 incidents since Sept 2025, including the 19 Sept 2026 strike.
Parties and actors
- United States Armed Forces (US Southern Command) State armed forces · aligned with United States
- Crews of vessels the US alleges belong to drug-trafficking groups (e.g. Tren de Aragua) Alleged non-state criminal groups (as designated by the US)
Parties are listed factually by name and role. Inclusion does not imply any judgement.
Negotiations
Negotiations hubNo negotiation track is currently tracked for this conflict.
Sources and further reading
- Human Rights Watch as of 2 Sep 2026
- The Rio Times (citing The Hindu tally) as of 20 Sep 2026
- PolitiFact as of 2 Jun 2026
- CBC News as of 2 Sep 2025
- DefenseScoop as of 14 Nov 2025
- PBS NewsHour timeline as of 3 Jan 2026
- CFR Global Conflict Tracker: U.S. Confrontation With Venezuela as of 2 Oct 2026
- Human Rights Watch: Year of extrajudicial killings at sea as of 2 Oct 2026