Pentagon announces launch of new military operation

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has announced the launch of a new operation in the Western Hemisphere targeting drug traffickers, called “Southern Spear”, DW reports.

“This mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood – and we will protect it,” Hegseth wrote on X.

According to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, the operation will be led by a special task force created for this purpose, along with U.S. Southern Command (Southcom).

A group of U.S. warships has already been deployed near the coast of Venezuela, where a “massive mobilization” has been announced.