US Signals Broader Anti-Drug Campaign in the Americas, Open to Ground Ops

At a House Armed Services Committee hearing, a top DoD official said Operation Southern Spear’s lethal boat strikes against drug smuggling in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific are only the beginning and could include ground operations; Democrats warn of mission creep and legality concerns, while Republicans praise the effort as homeland defense. The campaign has reported 157 deaths in 45 strikes and more than 15,000 service members deployed, with discussions to expand to land targets in coordination with partner militaries.