US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday a military operation to “remove narco-terrorists,” amid growing concerns that a US naval build-up in Latin American waters could presage land strikes and a wider conflict.

“Today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR,” Hegseth posted on social media platform X.

“This mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people,” he said.

The post gave no details of what the operation would entail or how it might differ from military actions already being undertaken.

President Donald Trump’s administration is conducting a military campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, deploying naval and air forces for what it calls an anti-drugs offensive.

US forces have carried out strikes on about 20 vessels in international waters in the region since early September, killing at least 76 people, according to US figures.

Asked for clarification on the precise nature of Operation Southern Spear, a Pentagon spokesperson simply referred inquiries back to Hegseth’s post on X.

CBS News on Wednesday cited multiple sources as saying senior military officials had presented Trump with updated options for potential operations in Venezuela, including strikes on land.

Venezuela announced on Tuesday what it called a major, nationwide military deployment to counter the growing US naval presence off its coast — including a newly arrived US aircraft carrier strike group in the region.

Caracas fears the deployment, which also includes F-35 stealth warplanes sent to Puerto Rico and six US Navy ships in the Caribbean, is a regime change plot in disguise.

New US strike on alleged drug boat kills four in Caribbean

US forces have struck another alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean, upping the death toll in the contentious anti-narcotics campaign to 80, US media reports said on Thursday.

This week’s reported strike took the toll to 80 deaths in 20 strikes in international waters.

The timing of the strike was not clear, with broadcaster CBS reporting the boat was destroyed on Monday and The New York Times reporting the strike took place on Wednesday, both citing an unnamed Pentagon official.

The Pentagon did not immediately reply to a request for comment.