U.S. military forces have joined Ecuadorian troops in a series of lethal kinetic operations aimed at dismantling narcoterrorist organizations, according to a Friday night announcement from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The joint effort, which escalated significantly on March 6, involves direct strikes against high-level criminal groups operating within the region.
The operations have been active since September 2, with U.S. forces conducting multiple strikes against drug-running vessels. Among the most significant actions was the sinking of a boat carrying 11 members of the Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration on January 20, 2025.
At the direction of the Secretary of War, SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan ordered the joint force to assist Ecuadorian military units currently engaged in active combat. This mission specifically targets groups that have been labeled as terrorists by the United States government over the past year.
“At the order of @SecWar, #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan directed the joint force to support Ecuadorian forces conducting lethal kinetic operations against Designated Terrorist Organizations within Ecuador March 6,” SOUTHCOM shared via a post on X.
The military surge follows a wave of diplomatic designations intended to cut off the resources of organized crime.
On September 4, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated two major Ecuadorian gangs, Los Choneros and Los Lobos, as foreign terrorist organizations due to their ties to Mexican drug cartels. These cartels were themselves designated as terrorist entities at the start of the current presidential term in early 2025.
Gen. Donovan highlighted the importance of the partnership in a statement following the latest strikes.
“We are advancing alongside our partners in the fight against narcoterrorism,” Donovan said. “I congratulate our joint forces and the Ecuadorian armed forces for the successful operation against narcoterrorists in Ecuador. This collaborative and decisive action is a strategic success for all nations in the Western Hemisphere committed to disrupting and defeating narcoterrorism.”
The State Department previously noted that these efforts are part of a broader strategy alongside Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa to secure the region. In an earlier release, the department stated that the U.S. will “continue to protect our two nations by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding drug cartels’ terrorism and criminal activity.”
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