US kills 133 in 39 boat strikes since September with no evidence released
SOUTHCOM strikes three more boats on Feb. 16, calling victims "narco-terrorists" without documentation
On Feb. 16, 2026, U.S. Southern Command struck three boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific under Operation Southern Spear, killing 11 people. That brings the total death toll to at least 133 people killed in at least 39 attacks since September 2025.
Key Concepts
Essential concepts and terms to understand this topic
Anti-Commandeering Doctrine
A constitutional rule preventing the federal government from forcing state or local officials to enforce federal law.
State Action Requirement
Constitutional doctrine requiring a connection to government action for Fourteenth Amendment protections to apply.
Suspect Classifications
Laws that discriminate based on race, national origin, or religion, triggering the strictest level of constitutional scrutiny.
Federalism
Power is divided between the federal government and state governments, each exercising authority in designated areas.
Social Media Surveillance
Government monitoring of individuals' social media accounts and posts for enforcement purposes.
Key People
8
Gen. Francis L. Donovan
Commander, U.S. Southern Command
Donovan personally directed the Feb. 16 strikes under Operation Southern Spear. He commands all U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean and is the executive authority over the boat strike campaign.
Pete Hegseth
Secretary of Defense
Hegseth oversees Operation Southern Spear and has publicly celebrated its results on social media. He was at the center of the September 2025 controversy, with reporting that he directed a follow-up strike with an order to kill everybody — which he denied.
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Trump announced the first September 2025 Caribbean strike personally and released video of it. He has publicly stated the U.S. is in armed conflict with Latin American cartels.
Volker Türk
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Türk released a statement in October 2025 calling on the U.S. to halt the strikes and describing them as extrajudicial killing.
MK
Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
U.S. Senator
Kelly and five Democratic colleagues filmed a video in November 2025 urging military personnel to refuse illegal orders related to the strikes.
AF
Admiral Frank Bradley
Former Commander, U.S. Southern Command
Bradley was SOUTHCOM commander during the September 2025 survivor-killing controversy. He told Senate briefers he received no order to kill everybody.
TK
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
U.S. Senator
Kaine co-sponsored the bipartisan War Powers Resolution with Sen. Rand Paul requiring congressional authorization for continued operations.
RP
Rand Paul (R-KY)
U.S. Senator
Paul co-sponsored the bipartisan War Powers Resolution with Sen. Tim Kaine, challenging executive authority for military operations.
Claims & Perspectives
False
False
The Trump administration has released evidence confirming those killed were drug traffickers
SOUTHCOM has released no evidence for any of the 39 strikes — no seized drugs, no vessel identification, no nationalities or identities of those killed. Announcements consist of social media posts with short video clips of boat explosions.
Disputed
Disputed
Hegseth directed a follow-up strike against shipwreck survivors with an order to kill everybody
The Washington Post reported that Hegseth authorized the second strike with a directive to kill everybody. Hegseth denied this. Admiral Frank Bradley told Senate briefers he received no such order. Bipartisan Senate and House Armed Services Committee investigations were launched but no final findings have been released.
Disputed
The U.S. military is legally required to provide due process before using lethal force against suspects
Under law enforcement rules, which govern international waters absent an armed conflict, due process is required before lethal force. The Trump administration argues the U.S. is in armed conflict with cartels, which would relax these requirements. International law experts and the UN dispute that the armed conflict threshold has been met.
True
True
At least 133 people have been killed in boat strikes since September 2025
Multiple media organizations tracking SOUTHCOM's public announcements confirm at least 133 people killed across at least 39 strikes since September 2025. The Pentagon's own statements account for the majority of this toll.
What you can do
Ask your senator where they stand on accountability for Operation Southern Spear
civic action
The Senate Armed Services Committee launched a bipartisan investigation after the September 2025 survivor-killing controversy and the Senate passed NDAA language flagging oversight concerns. Your senator can demand the Pentagon release evidence for each strike, including drug seizures and the identities of those killed.
Learn the difference between armed conflict and law enforcement under international law
educational
The Trump administration frames the boat strikes as part of an armed conflict with drug cartels. If that designation is accepted, it changes the legal rules — law of war rules allow lethal force against combatants without judicial process, while law enforcement requires due process. Understanding this distinction is essential to evaluating whether the strikes are legal.
Contact your House representative about the OLC memo authorizing the strikes
civic action
The Office of Legal Counsel memo authorizing the strikes has not been publicly released. Congress can demand its disclosure through oversight hearings. House Armed Services Committee members have jurisdiction to subpoena the memo and hold hearings on whether the legal theory underlying the strikes is valid.