Pentagon Provides Update on Operation Southern Spear, Reaffirms Socom Called for Second Strike on Drug Boat

Dec. 2, 2025 | By Matthew Olay, Pentagon News |

The War Department provided an update today on the U.S. military's counter-narco-terrorism campaign, Operation Southern Spear, including the casualties inflicted upon suspected narco-terrorists and a reemphasis on how the operation's first kinetic boat strike unfolded.

To date, a total of 21 kinetic strikes in U.S. Southern Command's area of operations have taken place, resulting in 82 narco-terrorists having been killed, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told the media.

"Each strike conducted against these designated terror organizations is taken in defense of vital U.S. national interests and to protect the homeland," Wilson said.

 She added that the legality of the strikes has been thoroughly vetted by the proper authorities. 

"Our operations in the Southcom region are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the Law of Armed Conflict. These actions have also been approved by the best military and civilian lawyers up and down the chain of command," Wilson said. 

Along the lines of legality, Wilson also underscored White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's statement yesterday that a "double tap" strike on an alleged Venezuelan narco-terrorism boat on Sept. 2 was ordered by U.S. Special Operations Command's top leader, Navy Adm. Frank "Mitch" Bradley, and not Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

A recent article published late last week claiming that Hegseth ordered the second strike has been a source of contention between President Donald J. Trump's administration, some members of Congress and the media.    

"As the White House confirmed yesterday, the decision to restrike the narco-terrorists' vessel was made by Adm. Bradley, operating under clear and long-standing authorities to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States was eliminated," Wilson told the media.  

"Let's make one thing crystal clear: Adm. Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and [he] has my 100% support," Hegseth said via a social media post yesterday.  

"I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since. America is fortunate to have such men protecting us," he added.

Wilson ended the Operation Southern Spear portion of her briefing by reemphasizing the War Department's commitment to protecting the American people. 

"This department will defend our homeland. This is not a catchphrase; it's a commitment," she said. "And, as [Hegseth] said: When it comes to killing narco-terrorists, we have only just begun." 

Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Gunners Mate 2nd Class Dion Rashun Roberts, 23, of North Chicago, Ill., died Sept. 22 as a result of a single vehicle accident in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to an East Coast Naval Special Warfare Unit.

For more information, media may contact Naval Special Warfare Command public affairs office at 619-522-2816.

ISAF Helicopter Crashes in Western Afghanistan

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2012 – Two International Security Assistance Force service members were injured following a helicopter crash in western Afghanistan today, military officials reported.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, officials said.

In July 17 news, operations:

-- ISAF commander Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen and Afghan National Army Chief of Staff Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi congratulated the Afghan National Army on the establishment of its Special Operation Command Division, officials said. “The establishment of ANASOC is another important step in the increasing capability and capacity of the ANSF,” Allen said. “This trained unit represents some of the most elite and brave fighting forces in the ANSF. They continue to demonstrate their ability to conduct operations throughout Afghanistan and when engaged win decisively.”

-- A coalition airstrike killed an insurgent in Ghazni province’s Giro district.

-- A combined force detained an insurgent and seized a two-way radio in Ghazni province’s Qarah Bagh district.

-- A combined force discovered a cache containing several flares in Ghazni province’s Andar district.

-- A combined force found and cleared an improvised explosive device in Ghazni province’s Andar district.

-- A combined force killed an insurgent in Khowst province’s Gurbuz district.

-- A combined force killed three insurgents in Kunar province’s Marawarah district.

-- In Logar province, a combined force found and cleared one IED in the Pul-E Alam district and another in the Muhammad Aghah district.

-- A combined force killed one insurgent in Nangarhar province’s Shinwar district.

-- In Nangarhar province’s Lal’Pur district, a combined force found and cleared an IED.

-- A combined force detained one insurgent and found and cleared an IED in Nuristan province’s Nurgaram district.

-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Paktika province’s Sar Rowzah district.

-- In Paktiya province’s Zurmat district, a combined force found and cleared an IED.

-- A combined force discovered a cache containing multiple mines and IED-making materials in Paktiya province’s Gardez district.

-- In Wardak province’s Sayyidabad district, a combined force detained an insurgent and cleared an IED.

Panetta Praises Military Professionals for bin Laden Raid

By Jim Garamone and Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – To most Americans the news that Navy SEALs had killed Osama bin Laden came as a shot from the blue.

But to Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, the mission was the culmination of years of painstaking intelligence gathering, put to good use by a joint service team.

Panetta spoke about the raid today at the Pentagon. “Just yesterday, the nation marked one year since the operation that successfully took down Osama bin Laden,” he said. “It was a day that I hope Americans take the time to thank the very dedicated intelligence and military professionals who planned and executed that raid that delivered justice to al-Qaida’s leader.”

“We will always be grateful for their service, their sacrifice and their professionalism,” the secretary added.

During a recent trip to South America, Panetta discussed the raid itself. Last year, he was the Director of Central Intelligence monitoring the operation from CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. The intelligence professionals with the CIA located the al-Qaida leader’s hiding place in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Still, it was far from absolute confirmation that the compound held bin Laden. Intelligence analysts used a lot of circumstantial evidence to deduce that the compound held the terror leader.

President Barack Obama made a gutsy call ordering the raid, the secretary said.

The special operations team flew to Abbottabad from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. The compound is 100 miles inside Pakistan from the border. Crossing into Pakistani airspace was just one gut-check moment for U.S. leaders monitoring the operation. “When they crossed the border and were going into Pakistan there were a lot of tense moments about whether or not they would be detected,” Panetta said.

Another “nail-biting moment” came when one of the helicopters carrying the SEALs lost lift upon arriving at the compound and make a hard landing. Panetta was on the phone with Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, then the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command and now commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. McRaven was monitoring communications from Jalalabad.

After the loss of the helicopter, Panetta recalled asking McRaven, “Okay, what’s next?” The admiral, the secretary said, replied, “Don’t worry, we’re ready for this.”

The SEALs entered the three-story building at the heart of the compound and it was 20 minutes before there was any report from the ground. “We knew gunshots had been fired but after that I just didn’t know,” Panetta said.

It was at that point that McRaven reported that he might have heard the code word -- Geronimo -- that would mean they had found bin Laden. “We still were waiting, and then within a few minutes McRaven said the words, ‘Geronimo KIA,’” the secretary said, which meant that bin Laden had been killed in action.

“And that was that,” Panetta said.

But even with the mastermind of the 9-11 attacks dead, there were still tense moments. U.S. officials were concerned about what the Pakistani government would do, and whether the U.S. team could get out of the country without problems. “The moment they crossed the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, we finally knew that the mission had been accomplished,” Panetta said.

With the success of the operation assured, there were no over-the-top celebrations. “We had some special forces people at the operations center at CIA and we all kind of looked at each other,” Panetta said. “As a matter of fact, I have a picture in my office of all of us putting our arms around each other, just [acknowledging that] we got the job done.”

The secretary told members of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency today that the bin Laden operation was a remarkable experience and “one of the greatest memories in 40 years that I’ve been in Washington.

“Having the opportunity to work with the intelligence professionals, to work with Adm. Bill McRaven, to work with the SEALs in that operation was incredible,” Panetta said. “This was because of the professionalism and great dedication involved with that mission. It was the kind of stuff that makes you proud to be an American.”

With the death of bin Laden and many other strikes on the al-Qaida leadership, the terror group is a shadow of its former self, the secretary said. Still, it remains a threat, he said, and the dedicated intelligence and military professionals will continue with this mission.