In an expansion of Donald Trump’s ‘war on narcoterrorism’, the US has undergone a joint operation with the Ecuadorian government against what the US calls ‘designated terrorist organizations’. The attacks came on March 3, and according to US officials, no American servicemember participated in the attack, but helped Ecuadorian forces prepare and execute the operation. Donald Trump has been conducting air strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea since September 2025, and conducted a military operation in Venezuela in January 2026, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. All of the actions have been conducted under the guise of fighting narcoterrorism, and legal experts have deemed them illegal under international law.
Military actions in Ecuador
US Southern Command released a video on X, showing a helicopter taking off and then picking up a dozen soldiers. Neither US officials nor the Ecuadorian government have confirmed the details of the military action, but the US and Ecuador have been planning joint operations since at least 2025. In September 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Ecuador and met with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa to discuss shared efforts to curb illegal mass immigration. They also discussed narcoterrorism, with Rubio strongly hinting that the countries would be conducting joint strikes in the future.
President Noboa confirmed on March 2 that Ecuador would be working with the United States. Noboa claimed that during March, Ecuador would be conducting joint operations with the US. Noboa called America a ‘regional ally’ and claimed that his first priority was the safety and security of Ecuadorian citizens. Ecuador has been a firm ally of Donald Trump’s since his inauguration in 2025, and has supported his illegal airstrikes since they began. President Noboa has centred his Presidency on fighting drug-related gang violence. During the Ecuadorian Presidential election in 2023, Noboa claimed he would be willing to use military force against drug gangs, and he’s now fulfilling his promise with the help of Donald Trump.
US airstrikes
The US began initiating airstrikes on Venezuelan ships in the Caribbean Sea in September, under the guise of fighting narco-terrorism. Donald Trump, backed by Hegseth, outlined his mission to battle ‘maritime drug trafficking’ in Latin America after the first strike.
That first strike came on September 2, when an American military vessel sank a 39-foot speedboat filled with “a considerable amount of cargo.” This initial strike was one of the more legitimate, with the vessel hailing from a known trafficking centre, and multiple sources supporting the US’s accusations of it being a criminal vessel. 11 people were killed in the first strike, according to Trump, all of them members of the gang Tren de Aragua.
Over the next six weeks, Trump carried out another four strikes, killing 16. There were drugs recovered in only one of the strikes. Venezuela has claimed that at least one of the boats attacked was a fishing vessel. Additionally, at least two of the victims have been confirmed as Colombian citizens without any attachment to the country of Venezuela, nor its organized crime groups. “These cartels are the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, using violence, murder and terrorism to impose their will, threaten our national security and poison our people,” Hegseth wrote.
In total, the US has killed at least 150 people in 44 confirmed strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea.
US officials comment
Multiple US military officials have commented on the reported attack, praising Ecuadorian forces. US Southern Command released a statement calling the attack a ‘powerful example’ of the commitment of America’s partners in Latin America. Gen. Francis L. Donovan, head of Southern Command, posted a statement on March 3 praising Ecuadorian armed forces. Gen. Donovan stated that Ecuadorian forces are committed and resolved to fighting narcoterrorism across Latin America. Drug gangs in Latin America have become more violent over the last three years, vying for the highly touted cocaine market in the United States.
What’s next?
With Ecuador confirming that it will be continuing to conduct military operations alongside the US during the month of March, it’s a safe bet that the area will see a return to the state it experienced in late 2025. Since abducting Maduro in January, Trump has taken his foot off the gas regarding his airstrikes in the Caribbean. Now, with US military resources focusing on Iran, it’s unsurprising that Trump has convinced Ecuador to use its resources instead. With the US guiding the Ecuadorian military, it will essentially be acting as an extension of Donald Trump’s will, and the month of relative security in the Caribbean Sea has ended.
