<p class="speakable">U.S. and Ecuadorian forces launched joint operations Tuesday targeting <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/world/terrorism/narco-terror" rel="noopener" target="_blank">suspected narco-terrorists</a> in Ecuador, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said.</p><p class="speakable">SOUTHCOM said it was taking "<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/terror/counter-terrorism" rel="noopener" target="_blank">decisive action</a>" against designated terrorist organizations, though it was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties.</p><p>"On March 3, Ecuadorian and U.S. military forces launched operations against Designated Terrorist Organizations in Ecuador," SOUTHCOM posted on X. "The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/travel/regions/caribbean" rel="noopener" target="_blank">the Caribbean</a> to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism."</p><p>SOUTHCOM added: "Together, we are taking decisive action to confront narco-terrorists who have long inflicted terror, violence, and corruption on citizens throughout the hemisphere."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/military" rel="noopener" target="_blank">SOUTHCOM Commander</a> Gen. Francis L. Donovan praised Ecuador’s military for joining the U.S. in the operations.</p><p>"We commend the men and women of the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/armed-forces" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Ecuadorian armed forces</a> for their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country," he said.</p><p>The U.S. Embassy in Ecuador said Tuesday the United States "successfully concluded a joint operation" with Europol and Ecuadorian authorities dismantling the Hernán Ruilova Barzola transnational drug trafficking organization, which it said is linked to the Los Lobos cartel.</p><p>The announcement follows a series of U.S. strikes targeting suspected drug-trafficking operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-kills-11-3-strikes-alleged-drug-running-boats" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>US KILLS 11 IN 3 STRIKES ON ALLEGED DRUG-RUNNING BOATS</strong></a></p><p>Last week, U.S. forces <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-kills-3-suspected-narco-traffickers-caribbean-pentagon-says" rel="noopener" target="_blank">struck a suspected narco-trafficking vessel</a> in the Caribbean tied to designated terrorist organizations, killing three suspected traffickers.</p><p>That strike came after SOUTHCOM said last month it had carried out three strikes in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean, killing 11.</p><p><a href="https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP</strong></a></p><p>Overall, the U.S. has conducted at least 43 strikes on alleged <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/crime/drugs" rel="noopener" target="_blank">drug-smuggling vessels</a>, killing 150 people in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.</p>