The Defense Department’s inspector general said Monday it is investigating U.S. Southern Command’s targeting of alleged drug-smuggling boats as part of a military campaign that has destroyed 59 vessels and killed 193 people since last fall.
The probe focuses on the intelligence and targeting processes used in Operation Southern Spear, the Pentagon’s name for strikes against suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. A letter from the Office of Inspector General dated May 11 outlines the review, which will examine how Southern Command selects and strikes the small boats.
“The scope of this evaluation includes the joint process for targeted vessels in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility as part of Operation Southern Spear,” a spokeswoman for the inspector general said in a statement. The watchdog initiated the review itself based on ongoing assessments of department programs and operations.
Southern Command has conducted strikes on nearly 60 boats the military says were transporting drugs, according to Pentagon data. The campaign began last fall and has continued with three strikes in May alone that killed seven people.
The investigation will review the six-phase targeting process used by the command, including the commander’s intent, target development, intelligence analysis, the decision to strike, planning and execution, and post-strike assessment, a U.S. official familiar with the matter said. It will also look at the military doctrine governing these operations.
The review comes amid questions from lawmakers, including some Republicans, about the legality of the strikes. Critics have argued the operations may violate international law, though the Trump administration has maintained they are lawful.
A senior military lawyer at the combatant command overseeing the strikes reportedly disagreed with the administration’s legal position and saw his views sidelined, according to earlier reporting. In one incident, U.S. forces returned to strike survivors of an initial attack, raising potential concerns under the law of armed conflict.
The inspector general’s team plans to conduct work both inside the Pentagon and at Southern Command headquarters in Miami. It remains unclear how long the evaluation will take, officials said.
Soon after the campaign started in September, Adm. Alvin Holsey, then commander of Southern Command, announced he was stepping down after just one year in the role. He was succeeded by Marine Corps Gen. Frank Donovan.
Attention on the drug boat strikes has been overshadowed in recent months by the ongoing war with Iran. Many lawmakers have called for greater oversight of the operations, which some describe as lacking sufficient transparency.
The Pentagon and Southern Command had no immediate comment on the inspector general’s announcement. The self-initiated probe marks the latest scrutiny of a mission that has drawn both operational praise and legal questions since its launch.
Officials said the review will assess whether proper procedures were followed in the intelligence gathering and strike decisions that have resulted in the destruction of 59 vessels and the deaths of 193 individuals to date.