Pentagon Watchdog Evaluating US Operations Involving Strikes On Alleged Drug Boats

Last Updated:May 19, 2026, 21:51 IST

The operations fall under what the Pentagon calls “Operation Southern Spear,” a broader military effort aimed at disrupting maritime drug trafficking networks.

The US Defense Department’s internal watchdog opened an evaluation into a series of lethal maritime strikes carried out by US Southern Command, focusing on whether commanders followed approved targeting procedures in operations against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

The review, confirmed in a letter dated May 11 from the Pentagon’s inspector general’s office, comes amid growing legal and political scrutiny of the campaign, which has reportedly killed more than 190 people across nearly 60 targeted boats since it began last year. The operations fall under what the Pentagon calls “Operation Southern Spear," a broader military effort aimed at disrupting maritime drug trafficking networks.

According to the inspector general’s office, the evaluation will assess the “joint process for targeted vessels" within the US Southern Command area of responsibility. Officials said the inquiry was self-initiated based on ongoing oversight assessments of Pentagon operations.

Growing Scrutiny Over Legality Of Strikes

The strikes have drawn sustained criticism from legal scholars, members of Congress and military lawyers, particularly over the administration’s justification that the US is engaged in an “armed conflict" with designated drug cartels. The Trump administration has defended the operations, arguing in a classified Justice Department opinion that the US President has authority to use lethal force against cartel networks deemed an imminent threat to the country.

Internal Disputes And Congressional Alarm

Scrutiny intensified after reports of a follow-up strike targeting survivors of an earlier attack on an alleged drug-running vessel- an incident that prompted accusations from some lawmakers that the operation could amount to a war crime. The controversy also contributed to reported friction within the military chain of command, including disagreements between senior leadership at US Southern Command and Pentagon officials over the pace and conduct of operations.

Adm. Alvin Holsey, a former head of Southern Command, reportedly clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over aspects of the campaign before stepping down after a brief tenure.

News world Pentagon Watchdog Evaluating US Operations Involving Strikes On Alleged Drug Boats

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