The United States and Ecuador have launched joint military operations against “designated terrorist organizations” in the South American country, the Pentagon said on Tuesday night, in what appeared to be a major expansion of the U.S. military’s unilateral strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific that the Trump administration has accused of carrying drugs.
U.S. Special Forces soldiers are advising and supporting Ecuadorian commandos on raids across the country against suspected drug shipment facilities and other drug-related sites, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
The Americans are not believed to be participating in the actual raids, but are helping the Ecuadorian troops plan their operations, and are providing intelligence and logistics support, the official said.
In a 30-second video released by the military’s Southern Command, a helicopter is seen taking off in early morning or dusk, flying over an area, then picking up soldiers. The U.S. official said the video depicted the first in what was expected to be a series of raids across the country, some with U.S. advisers assisting nearby, some with Ecuadorian forces only. In this instance, involving mostly Ecuadorian forces, the official said, it was unclear what the mission’s objective was or whether it was successful.
“The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism,” the United States Southern Command said in a statement, which did not provide other details about the operations.
The White House did not immediately comment on the military activity. In a visit to Ecuador last September, Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly implied that the United States and Ecuador might conduct joint strikes.
Across Latin America, cartels have battled each other and authorities to produce cocaine and smuggle it to the United States. Ecuador, the world’s largest exporter of the drug, does not produce it, but serves as a trafficking route for criminal groups operating in Colombia and Peru.
On Monday, Southern Command posted footage of a visit by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the head of the command, with President Daniel Noboa and senior Ecuadorian officials in Quito, the capital, “to discuss security cooperation and reaffirm the United States’ strong commitment to supporting the nation’s efforts to confront narco-terrorism and strengthen regional security.”
General Donovan, whose command overseas operations in Latin America, said in a statement Tuesday that “we commend the men and women of the Ecuadorian armed forces for their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country.”
Ecuador has emerged as a key South American ally of the United States since Mr. Trump returned to power in 2025 and kicked off a contentious campaign against supposed drug trafficking boats in Latin America.
Since early September, the United States has killed at least 150 people in 44 known strikes against boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that the Trump administration has said, without providing evidence, are carrying drugs.
Legal specialists on the use of lethal force have said the strikes are illegal, extrajudicial killings, because the military cannot deliberately target civilians who do not pose an imminent threat of violence, even if they are suspected of engaging in criminal acts.
Mr. Noboa, who has centered his presidency on the use of military force to fight drug-gang violence that has led to a record number of homicides in the country, has sought to build a close alliance with Mr. Trump.
He has hosted Mr. Rubio and Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, in Ecuador. Last year, Mr. Noboa sought to allow the United States to establish military bases in Ecuador, a measure that was resoundingly defeated by Ecuadorians in a referendum last November.
On Monday, after meeting with General Donovan, Mr. Noboa said in a post on X that Ecuador was “launching a new phase against narco-terrorism and illegal mining.”
“In the month of March, we will conduct joint operations with our regional allies, including the United States,” he wrote. “The security of Ecuadorians is our priority, and we will fight to achieve peace in every corner of the country.”
Also attending the meeting was Rear Adm. Mark A. Schafer, the top commander of U.S. Special Forces in Latin America.
The raids come barely three weeks after Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, convened military leaders from around the Western Hemisphere in Washington to press for further coordination to fight drug trafficking and transnational criminal groups in the region. Since taking office, the Trump administration has made border security and drug interdiction a top priority of its national security policy.
Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Edward Wong contributed reporting.
Eric Schmitt is a national security correspondent for The Times. He has reported on U.S. military affairs and counterterrorism for more than three decades.
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