New satellite imagery showed the USS Gerald R. Ford and its Carrier Strike Group in the southern Caribbean, south of Puerto Rico.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the aircraft carrier and its strike group to the Caribbean to support U.S. counter-narcotics operations across the Americas.

"The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group's deployment represents a critical step in reinforcing our resolve to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American Homeland," Admiral Alvin Holsey, the commander of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), said on Sunday.

Why It Matters

The expanded U.S. military deployment reflects a significant intensification in the fight against illicit drug trafficking, including strikes on suspected smuggling boats in Caribbean

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