WASHINGTON — The United States carried out a targeted military strike Friday against an alleged narco-terror network in Ecuador as part of a joint operation with Ecuadorian forces, according to US Southern Command.SOUTHCOM said the operation was conducted at the request of Ecuador and involved “lethal kinetic operations” against suspected designated terrorist organizations operating in the country.“#SOUTHCOM Commander Francis L. Donovan directed the joint force to support Ecuadorian forces conducting lethal kinetic operations against designated terrorist organizations within Ecuador,” the command said in a statement posted on X.Donovan said the operation reflected strong cooperation between the United States and Ecuador in efforts to combat narco-terrorism in the region.“I congratulate our joint forces and the Ecuadorian armed forces for the successful operation against narco-terrorists in Ecuador,” Donovan said, calling the action a strategic success for countries across the Western Hemisphere working to disrupt criminal networks.Sean Parnell said the operation targeted what he described as a narco-terrorist supply complex.“The War Department is uniting partners across the Western Hemisphere to detect, disrupt and destroy designated terrorist organizations that fuel violence and corruption,” Parnell said.Pete Hegseth also shared footage of the strike on social media, thanking Ecuador for its cooperation and indicating that additional actions could follow.It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties from the operation.The Trump administration has intensified military operations across the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific since September as part of its campaign against narcotics trafficking. Officials say at least 148 people have been killed since the operations began.
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