U.S. and Ecuadorian forces launched drug-trafficking crackdown operations in Ecuador on Tuesday, per announcements by the militaries in both countries. The big picture: U.S. Southern Command in a Tuesday night statement said the operations targeted " Designated Terrorist Organizations ," hailing the cooperation as "a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism." SOUTHCOM's commander, Marine Gen. Francis Donovan, met in Quito with senior Ecuadorian officials including President Daniel Noboa on Sunday and Monday "to discuss security cooperation" and reaffirm the U.S. "commitment to supporting the nation's efforts to confront narco-terrorism and strengthen regional security," per an earlier statement . Driving the news: The military announcements came hours after Noboa said on Facebook that there would be "joint operations with regional allies, including the United States" in March as his nation began "a new phase against drug terrorism and illegal mining." The U.S. Embassy in Ecuador earlier on Tuesday shared on X images that it said were the result of a successful joint operation between the United States, the European Union's Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and Ecuadorian authorities that dismantled the transnational drug trafficking organization Hernán Ruilova Barzola, linked to the Los Lobos cartel ." The Drug Enforcement Agency said on X "16 suspects were arrested, and 6 tons of cocaine were seized in Europe" during this operation that involved the DEA's Europe division. What they're saying: Donovan commended the Ecuadorian armed forces in a Tuesday statement "for their unwavering commitment to this fight, demonstrating courage and resolve through continued actions against narco-terrorists in their country." Screenshot: U.S. Embassy Ecuador/X Go deeper: The overdose crisis is shrinking — and mutating Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.