U. S Forces strike another vessel in Caribbean waters
United States military forces under the command of Joint Task Force Southern Spear have carried out another lethal boat strike in Caribbean waters, killing four men who were designated as “narco-terrorists”.
According to a social media post by U.S Southern Command:
“On March 25, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Four male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.“
The recent attack has raised the death toll from U.S. military boat strikes to at least 163 since September, targeting alleged “narcoterrorists.” According to CBS News, 47 boats have been hit in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
The United States has yet to publicly provide evidence of drug trafficking related to the vessels that were attacked.
Critics contend that this lack of transparency brings serious concerns about the legality of these operations. Consequently, many organizations, including the United Nations, are calling for comprehensive investigations into the strikes to ensure adherence to international law.
Recently, on February 13th, a missile strike targeted a fishing vessel close to St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, resulting in the loss of all lives on board. Officials in Washington reported that the vessel was linked to “narco-terrorists.”
The explosion is reported to have occurred around 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026, several miles off the coast of the Grenadian island of Canouan. Fishermen in Canouan described both seeing and hearing the blast.
As a consequence, fishermen across the southern Caribbean are now hesitant to head out to sea.
In Antigua and Barbuda, the recent attacks have created anxiety, particularly in the case of three fishermen from Urlings who, as of today, remain missing. Although there is no proof connecting their disappearance to naval strikes, the United States’ continued unilateral application of military force so close to home leads to speculation and concern.
United States law gives the Secretary of State the authority to name Foreign Terrorist Organizations through the “Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act”, signed on April 24, 1996 and updated in 2001 and 2004 following the September 11 attacks and subsequent ‘War on Terror’.
On December 15, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an order classifying illicit fentanyl and its key precursor chemicals as **weapons of mass destruction**. By framing the synthetic opioid crisis as a national security threat, the United States government – in accordance with the ‘Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act’ – gains wider powers to act against groups linked to drug trafficking, which can now be handled as terrorist organizations.
However, the U.S. boat strikes have sparked concerns about the line between national security and the protection of human rights. The political atmosphere in the Western Hemisphere has become more tense, with many calling into question the diplomatic expediency of this approach by the United States.
For Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean, the options are uncertain. With little to no recourse, small island nations could suffer ripple effects on daily life, comfort, and – especially in the case of fishermen – the ability to earn an honest living.
If as a combined force in the Caribbean we can push back to save our fishing industry, we must find it!