On February 13, U.S. military forces conducted an operation in the Caribbean resulting in the deaths of three individuals on a boat suspected of drug trafficking. This intervention was authorized by General Francis L. Donovan and was based on intelligence that confirmed the vessel was following a known narcotics smuggling route. According to a statement by the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), the individuals killed were labeled 'narcoterrorists.'

The attack is part of a broader initiative by the U.S. to tackle drug trafficking into the country, particularly from Latin America and the Caribbean. Southcom is responsible for overseeing U.S. military activities in a region that includes 31 countries. Since September of the previous year, there has been an escalation in U.S. naval operations, with at least 133 people reported killed in a total of 38 such attacks targeting boats believed to be transporting narcotics towards the United States.

This continuing military campaign highlights the ongoing challenges the U.S. faces in combating drug smuggling and the implications it has for regional security in Latin America and the Caribbean. It also raises questions about the effectiveness and human cost of such military operations, as they often involve the loss of life in an effort to disrupt established trafficking routes.