In a surprise announcement on Thursday, November 13, 2025, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR: a new military push to remove narco-terrorists and stem the flow of deadly drugs into the hemisphere. 🚢💥💊
Details remain sketchy. Hegseth's post on X simply stated that the mission will "defend our Homeland, remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people." Analysts are left wondering how SOUTHERN SPEAR will differ from previous sea patrols and air strikes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific.
Since early September, U.S. forces have struck roughly 20 vessels in international waters, resulting in at least 76 fatalities, according to Pentagon figures. Yet questions about rules of engagement and on-the-ground support are still unanswered as the Pentagon redirects inquiries back to Hegseth's X post. 🤔
CBS News reports that high-level military officials have presented the White House with options for potential land strikes in Venezuela. If greenlit, these could mark a significant escalation beyond the naval build-up already underway.
Meanwhile, Venezuela has declared a nationwide military deployment to counter the growing U.S. naval presence, including a newly arrived aircraft carrier strike group. President Nicolás Maduro slammed the anti-drug pretext as an "absurd" cover story, comparing it to the 2003 Iraq invasion claims of weapons of mass destruction.
Last month, in an English-language address, Maduro appealed directly to Americans: "Not war, just peace," he said. "To the people of the United States, listen to me."
With Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR now official, Latin America watches closely. Will this be a decisive strike against narco-terror networks—or a controversial escalation? 🌎✈️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
