War Secretary Pete Hegseth says a task force has been set up to fight “narcoterrorists” in the Western Hemisphere US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced a military operation against “narcoterrorists” amid ongoing tensions with Venezuela and strikes on alleged cartel vessels.“Today, I’m announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR,” Hegseth wrote on X Thursday.“Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our hemisphere, and secures our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood – and we will protect it,” he wrote.Hegseth did not specify whether the operation would expand on the strikes against alleged cartel vessels in international waters of the Caribbean Sea. Since September, the US has destroyed at least 20 boats, killing 76 people.CBS News reported Thursday that top Pentagon officials briefed President Donald Trump on potential targets in Venezuela, whose government Trump accused of aiding the cartels. The US imposed sweeping sanctions on Caracas during Trump’s first term and placed a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.The US dispatched a naval armada, including the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, to the region, while Venezuela put its army on alert.DETAILS TO FOLLOW