On December 4, 2025, the United States military, specifically Joint Task Force Southern Spear, carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel allegedly affiliated with “a Designated Terrorist Organization,” reportedly killing four men described as “narco-terrorists” in international waters in the Eastern Pacific.

This strike was announced by @Southcom on Twitter/X on December 4th and stated that the vessel was allegedly “carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route.” In a black and white video included in the post, a boat can be seen moving in the water until it erupts into what appears to be flames and smoke.

There were no additional details found among local sources about the victims.

Methodological note about classification of those killed in this incident

In documenting this incident, Airwars is following the guidance outlined by independent International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law experts, whereby those on the vessels are understood to be civilians, given that the legal framework in which the strikes are being conducted remains in question.

Airwars has therefore included a civilian casualty count of four deaths.