The U.S. military carried out overnight kinetic strikes against a convoy of three vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations involved in narcotics trafficking, U.S. Southern Command said Wednesday.

According to Southern Command, the operation was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, using the title cited by the command.

The vessels were transiting known narcotics trafficking routes in international waters when U.S. forces took action after intelligence confirmed the transfer of drugs between the boats, Southern Command said.

Three individuals aboard the first vessel were killed during the initial engagement, the command said.

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The remaining individuals aboard the other two vessels abandoned ship before follow-on strikes were conducted, resulting in both boats being sunk.

Southern Command said the U.S. Coast Guard was immediately notified following the strikes so the search and rescue system could be activated for individuals who entered the water.

The vessels were believed to be part of a coordinated narcotics trafficking operation tied to designated terrorist organizations and were operating outside U.S. territorial waters, the command said.

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U.S. Southern Command oversees military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks that pose a threat to American interests.

Fox News Digital reached out to U.S. Southern Command for additional details but did not immediately receive a response.

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This is a developing story, check back later for updates.