The United States military executed a deadly operation on Tuesday, targeting a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. This action resulted in the death of an individual identified as a narco-terrorist, as reported by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

“On May 26, under the directive of SOUTHCOM commander General Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear launched a lethal strike on a vessel operated by organizations designated as terrorist groups,” announced SOUTHCOM in a statement posted on X.

The statement elaborated that intelligence had verified the vessel’s movement along established drug-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and confirmed its involvement in narco-trafficking activities.

According to military reports, the strike resulted in the death of one alleged narco-terrorist, while two other individuals survived the attack.

VIDEO SHOWS US MILITARY ACTION AGAINST SUSPECTED DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL; COAST GUARD IN SEARCH OF THREE SURVIVORS

U.S. Southern Command said a military strike targeted a suspected narco-trafficking vessel operating along a known drug route in the Eastern Pacific. (U.S. Southern Command)

SOUTHCOM said it immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to begin search-and-rescue operations for the survivors.

No U.S. forces were injured, the military said.

SOUTHCOM did not immediately release additional information about those targeted in the operation.

US MILITARY KILLS 3 IN LATEST STRIKE ON A SUSPECTED DRUG VESSEL IN THE PACIFIC

The U.S. military said one suspected narco-terrorist was killed during an operation targeting a vessel in the Eastern Pacific. (U.S. Southern Command)

The U.S. military has carried out multiple strikes in recent months targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels as part of a broader campaign aimed at dismantling cartel-linked trafficking operations.

Tuesday’s strike followed similar operations earlier this month.

SOUTHCOM said it targeted another vessel in the Eastern Pacific on May 8, killing two male narco-terrorists and leaving one survivor. Days earlier, the military conducted another strike in the Caribbean that killed two suspected traffickers.

(L/R) U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan, nominee for Commander of U.S. Southern Command, and U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, nominee for Director of the National Security Agency, Chief of Central Security Service, and Command of U.S. Cyber Command, testify during a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on their nominations on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15, 2026. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

The Eastern Pacific and Caribbean are major corridors for narcotics trafficking, with cartels often using small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs toward the United States and Central America.

SOUTHCOM oversees military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions focused on disrupting drug trafficking networks tied to organized crime groups.

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Phuoc passed away on Saturday in Southern California after an unexpected collapse, according to his nephew, Van Nguyen.

In 1965, Phuoc was recruited by Horst Faas, the former head of photography at AP, to succeed a local hire who had tragically lost his life during an assignment. Phuoc quickly earned respect among fellow journalists and American and South Vietnamese forces for his remarkable knack for locating the heart of the conflict.

Born in 1935 in a village near Quang Ngai, south of Da Nang, Phuoc was the youngest among many siblings. At the age of around 10, his father was killed by local Viet Cong insurgents. Shortly afterwards, he lost his mother, leaving him without a home.

“He was truly an extraordinary man who overcame a difficult childhood,” remarked Nguyen.

As a young adult, Phuoc volunteered to assist with equipment at a Saigon film studio where Nguyen’s mother worked as a cook. It was in this environment that Phuoc first got hold of a camera and self-taught himself the art of photography, according to his nephew.

Phuoc, who was dubbed the AP’s “secret weapon” by his boss, was known for walking with the “point man” on combat patrols, putting him in position to get excellent photographs — but also exposing him to grave danger.

He was wounded at least five times during his 10 years with the AP in Vietnam, the first time just five months after he was hired. A grenade explosion left him with shrapnel in his chest and leg, but he was back on duty within a few months covering the drawn-out civil war between the Communist forces of North Vietnam and the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese military.

In 1968, he sustained a concussion when he was hit in the head by a rocket while covering street fighting in Saigon. That same year, Phuoc risked sniper fire to carry a wounded U.S. soldier to safety and received a commendation from the Ninth U.S. Army Infantry Division for saving the man’s life.

Phuoc lost his right eye in a grenade explosion in 1969 while on patrol with a Ranger battalion south of Da Nang, along Vietnam’s central coast. He learned to shoot with one eye and returned to work.

In a 2011 interview for AP’s archives, Phuoc described the difficulty of working with one eye when he had to look through the camera while also watching for silent hand gestures from the soldiers with whom he was patrolling.

His colleague in AP’s Saigon bureau, Huỳnh Công “Nick” Út, described Phuoc as fearless and resourceful in the field. Behind the scenes, he was a giving man and loyal friend who treated Út like a brother.

“Everyone loved him so much,” Út said. “When I heard, I cried, ‘My brother, he’s gone.’”

Despite his reputation for shooting action, the photos that touched Phuoc were those that evoked the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire. In the 2011 interview, he compared himself to a “small grain of sand” who used his pictures to bring their stories to the world.

When Saigon fell in 1975, Phuoc fled with his family with little more than the clothes on their back and a bottle of milk. His family was rescued from a refugee camp in Guam with the help of AP reporter Linda Deutsch, who was covering the tent city, and flown to Camp Pendleton.

Phuoc then returned to Asia and worked briefly for the AP in Hong Kong before leaving the company and settling permanently in Southern California with his family.

He went on to become a professional portrait photographer in Orange County, which is home to Little Saigon, the largest single community of South Vietnamese refugees in the world.

His great-nephew, Kim Nguyen, looked back Tuesday at the portraits Phuoc shot of him as a baby and reminisced about bringing his own son to see Phuoc’s work on display at a museum in Vietnam.

In California, Phuoc was a founding member of The Artistic Photography Association and trained young photographers. He also was a civilian volunteer for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and in 1994 was named the county’s volunteer of the year.

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Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City.

After days of displacement due to a hazardous materials scare, numerous Southern California residents finally received the green light to return home on Tuesday night. Authorities confirmed that the danger linked to a chemical storage tank at an aerospace site had been completely neutralized.

The crisis revolved around a 7,000-gallon tank containing methyl methacrylate, a dangerous and highly flammable chemical, located at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove.

Initially detected on Thursday, the situation quickly escalated into a significant public safety concern, prompting widespread evacuations throughout the area.

At the height of the emergency, around 60,000 individuals from Garden Grove and its surrounding areas were evacuated as officials cautioned about the potential for explosions, fires, and chemical exposure.

By Tuesday evening, authorities assured residents that all threats had been mitigated. The Orange County Fire Authority confirmed there was no longer any risk of explosions, leaks, fires, or public harm.

“All evacuation orders related to the Garden Grove hazardous materials incident have been lifted,” the agency said.

For the time being, Western remains closed between Garden Grove Blvd. and Chapman.

While most evacuation orders were lifted Monday, about 16,000 residents had remained out of their homes due to lingering concerns about a possible fire or explosion risk, concerns that were ultimately ruled out.

The scare has raised broader questions in the community about why hazardous chemicals were stored at the Garden Grove facility, located in a city of about 171,000 people roughly 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

At a community meeting Tuesday, frustrated residents pressed city officials for answers as they acknowledged the need for a deeper review.

Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein said investigations will be launched at the city, state, and federal levels.

Legal action has commenced against GKN Aerospace, with eight lawsuits filed on behalf of 70 individuals.

The company faces allegations of negligence in connection with the emergency that necessitated the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.

Taylor Swift recently made a touching gesture towards a young fan, following the viral spread of a TikTok video.

The 36-year-old singer, who is in the headlines due to discussions about a prenup with Travis Kelce before their upcoming wedding, reached out after seeing the heartwarming clip.

In April, an eight-year-old girl named Madeline made a special request to her musician neighbor, asking him to play a Taylor Swift song on his guitar.

Madeline used a creative approach by crafting her message on a paper airplane and launching it over his fence. The neighbor received her note and performed “Love Story,” capturing the moment on camera thanks to Madeline’s mother.

The video quickly went viral on TikTok, amassing nearly 4 million views, and even caught the attention of Swift herself.

In response, the Grammy winner sent a signed guitar to Madeline as well as a hand-written note, per People. Her neighbor, Ethan Hayes, was also sent a guitar from Swift as well.

Taylor Swift’s, 36, heartwarming gesture to a young fan has been revealed weeks after a video went viral on TikTok; seen in March in L.A. 

In response, the Grammy winner sent a signed guitar to Madeline as well as a hand-written note, per People. Her neighbor, Ethan Hayes, was also sent a guitar from Swift as well; seen in 2024 in Vancouver 

In the note shared by the outlet, Swift wrote that seeing the video ‘brought the biggest smile to my face.’ 

The songstress added, ‘I am sending you your own guitar in case you ever want to learn too! And sending you my love.’ 

Hayes told People that Swift’s team personally reached out to him. 

‘They’re like, ‘Hey, Taylor saw your video. We want to send you something. Don’t tell anyone until it gets there.” 

He added, ‘I was expecting maybe a signed poster or something. And then she sent us guitars, which is insane.’ 

The young Swiftie also offered her own response to Swift’s surprise gift and simply said, ‘Thank you.’

The viral TikTok was shared by Madeline’s mother Natalie and the text over the clip read: ‘Our daughter sent a paper airplane to our new neighbor, and this happened…’

The eight-year-old asked her neighbor in the note if he could possibly play a Swift song after overhearing him outside playing the guitar. And due to being shy, she sent the message via a paper airplane over the fence dividing their properties. 

In the note shared by the outlet, Swift wrote that seeing the video ‘brought the biggest smile to my face’; seen in 2025 in NYC 

The young Swiftie also offered her own response to Swift’s surprise gift and simply said, ‘Thank you’

Hayes could be seen picking up the paper plane and after reading the message, he went to the back patio to play Love Story. 

‘I’m a musician, so I get requests all the time. That’s one I always usually keep in my back pocket,’ he told People. 

Madeline’s mom recalled waking up the next morning after posting the sweet clip to TikTok and shockingly discovered that it had already garnered thousands of views. 

Hayes shared that the viral moment has received positive feedback on social media and called it ‘a really wholesome situation.’ 

Swift has been involved in other generous moments over the years, including her tipping staff $600 at Arrowhead Stadium late last year. 

During past NFL appearances, she has been spotted tipping ticket takers, security staff and custodial workers at both Arrowhead and Highmark Stadium.

Her kindness has extended throughout her record-breaking Eras Tour as well, including giving out $197 million in bonuses to her crew. 

Swift herself has been keeping busy as she prepares for her nuptials to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. 

Swift has been involved in other generous moments over the years, including her tipping staff $600 at Arrowhead Stadium late last year; seen in Kansas City in 2024 

Swift herself has been keeping busy as she prepares for her nuptials to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce

The couple, who were first romantically linked in 2023, made an appearance at the Knicks and Cavaliers game over the past weekend. 

The lovebirds sat courtside for the date night and later in the evening, the NFL player took part in a stunt which was shown on the jumbotron. 

Kelce was seen chugging a can of beer which appeared to leave the singer speechless as she held a hand to her mouth while watching. 

Another moment showed the Grammy winner tilting her head down as the palm of her hand fully covered her face. 

The Daily Mail recently confirmed that Swift and Kelce are set to tie the knot in NYC on July 3.

It has also been previously claimed that the singer has asked some of her celebrity pals to be her bridesmaids, including Selena Gomez and Gigi Hadid. 

Swift’s A-list friends are reportedly planning surprises for her upcoming nuptials to the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.

According to The U.S. Sun, some of her close celebrity pals are part of the bridal party and will show never-before-seen photos and videos of the pop star to wedding guests.

The couple, who were first romantically linked in 2023, made an appearance at the Knicks and Cavaliers game over the past weekend (seen above)

The Daily Mail recently confirmed that Swift and Kelce are set to tie the knot in NYC on July 3; seen in 2024 in Baltimore 

Gomez is also working on a special performance by the bridal party who will belt out Swift’s hits from over the years. 

Kelce is reportedly set to take part in the moment and ‘wants to do everything he can to ensure she has the best wedding day ever and to build lasting memories.’

Swift and the NFL star have recently been spotted enjoying outings together in New York City this month. 

The Bad Blood hitmaker donned a black minidress as she sweetly held hands with Kelce as they exited the Italian eatery Sartiano’s last week.  

Jim Wright, the Texas Railroad Commissioner, has always viewed his wife Sherri as more than just his life partner. In a poignant moment captured by The American Border Story, Wright expresses, “She’s not only my wife, she’s my best friend. We’ve always been inseparable. Together, we are stronger than we are apart.”

For the first time, the Wrights are publicly sharing their personal journey following the devastating 2017 accident that left Sherri permanently paralyzed. The crash turned an ordinary morning into a life-altering event, reshaping nearly every facet of their existence.

Reflecting on their beginnings, Sherri recalls meeting Jim in San Antonio. At that time, her desk was humorously positioned right in front of the men’s restroom, a twist of fate that led to their initial encounter.

In related news, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has thrown her support behind Trump’s ‘Dalilah Law,’ following a tragic incident that left a young girl unable to walk or talk.

EXCLUSIVE: NOEM BACKS TRUMP’S ‘DALILAH LAW’ AFTER CRASH LEAVES YOUNG GIRL UNABLE TO WALK, TALK

Sherri Wright, wife of Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, was in a car accident in 2017 which left her paralyzed. (YouTube/The American Border Story)

“Everybody would always talk to me except for Jim,” she said in the video.

Jim Wright said he immediately noticed her.

“I remember meeting her there and thinking to myself that’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on,” he said.

After weeks of small conversations, the two became close friends before eventually marrying in Las Vegas during the National Finals Rodeo.

“It started out as being a friend turning into my best friend and then turning into my wife,” Jim Wright said. “It’s just been amazing.”

Then came Jan. 9, 2017.

WOMAN WITH 5% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL AFTER SKI ACCIDENT MAKES ‘MIRACLE’ RECOVERY

Jim and Sherri Wright (pictured) first met when she was working in San Antonio. (Youtube/The American Border Story)

“It was a normal day,” Sherri Wright said.

She had just dropped the couple’s youngest son off at school and was driving home when the crash happened about a mile from their house.

Sherri Wright recalled the moment of impact and waking up trapped inside the wreckage.

“I remember my breath letting go,” she said. “I just remember looking up and glass was going in my eyes.”

“My son, he was trying as hard as he could to bend the metal to get me out,” she added.

Jim Wright said he rushed to the scene before later learning his wife had been paralyzed.

AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT KILLED MY DAUGHTER — LEFTISTS MARCH FOR RENEE, NOT FOR KATIE

Sherri Wright (left) was paralyzed following a 2017 car crash. (Youtube/The American Border Story)

“And I just told him I didn’t want to live,” Sherri Wright said.

“My whole life I worked. I took care of my kids,” she said. “It changed everything. Basically took away more than half of my life.”

The couple said the crash forced them to adapt to in-home care while Sherri Wright struggled with the loss of independence that came with her injuries.

Sherri Wright also described the emotional toll of feeling invisible in public.

“You know, I go places and they talk to whoever’s beside me rather than talk to me,” she said. “Just because my hands and my legs don’t work doesn’t mean that I’m not a person. You deserve the respect that everybody else gets.”

After describing the impact the crash had on their family, both Jim and Sherri Wright connected their experience to concerns about illegal immigration and border security.

“Families affected by illegal immigrants passing through this border should never have had to endure this,” Sherri Wright said. “We do not not want you here. Just come here legally.”

EX-NAVY SEAL CONGRESSMAN DESCRIBES EMOTIONAL REUNION WITH BOY HE HELPED SAVE FROM NEAR-FATAL CAR CRASH

Both Jim (pictured) and Sherri Wright shared their story with American Border Story. (YouTube/The American Border Story)

Jim Wright said he believes the broader issue goes beyond a single crash.

“That’s the root of the cause,” he said. “Until we can figure out how to get a better grasp on controlling that cartel activity that’s going on in Mexico, I don’t think we’re ever going to be out of the dramatic expense that we’ve had to pay.”

Still, the couple said they have focused on moving forward with the support of their family.

“I think there’s so many people out there like me,” Sherri Wright said. “I’m just fortunate that I have a family that have all come around me and helped me and we can do things together as a family instead of me sitting in a nursing home.”

“You can’t stay in and try to lay blame on everybody else,” Jim Wright said. “You’ve got to make the best of that situation and it gets easier over time.”