Geographic Combatant Command

Southern Command

SOUTHCOM

SOUTHCOM · United States Southern Command is responsible for military operations in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Area of Responsibility: Central America, South America, Caribbean (except U.S. territories)

View Alerts Current Level All Commands

SOUTHCOM Alert Flash

LIVE
View All SOUTHCOM Alerts →

Essential Preparedness Supplies

Start your emergency preparedness journey

📦 Emergency Kit 🥫 Survival Food 💧 Water Filter 🩹 First Aid
View All Preparedness Supplies → Affiliate links support our mission

Current Assessment

U.S. Strike on Venezuela, capture of Venezuelan President and wife.

Updated: January 3, 2026

Southern Command Mission Overview

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) deters aggression, defeats threats, responds to crises, and builds regional capacity with allies, partner nations, and U.S. government partners to enhance security and defend the U.S. homeland. The area of responsibility covers Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, and the command is also responsible for the defense of the Panama Canal, a maritime chokepoint that carries a major share of hemispheric commerce. Headquartered in Doral, Florida, the command operates with more than 1,200 military and civilian personnel.

SOUTHCOM coordinates contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation through component commands, Joint Task Forces, and Security Cooperation Organizations across the hemisphere. The 2026 Posture Statement to Congress, presented by Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, identifies strategic competition with external powers across regional ports, telecommunications, and energy infrastructure, alongside counter-illicit-finance and counter-narcotics lines of effort. Recent initiatives include Operation Southern Spear maritime operations and the establishment of the SOUTHCOM Autonomous Warfare Command for unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater systems.

  • Regional security cooperation and partner capacity.
  • Contingency planning and crisis response.
  • Interagency coordination in the hemisphere.

United States Southern Command is responsible for military operations in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Source: SOUTHCOM mission overview (southcom.mil).

Headquarters

Doral, Florida

Area of Responsibility

Central America, South America, Caribbean (except U.S. territories)

SOUTHCOM area of responsibility map

Latest SOUTHCOM Alerts

Recent intelligence updates for Southern Command.

View All SOUTHCOM Alerts →

Other Geographic Commands

Explore other geographic combatant commands with similar mission areas.

View All Commands

Get SOUTHCOM Alerts

Subscribe to receive instant notifications when significant events occur in this command's area of responsibility.

Subscribe on Substack Join Patreon

Explore More

Regional Alert Feeds

AFRICOM Africa CENTCOM Middle East EUCOM Europe USPACOM Asia-Pacific NORTHCOM North America SOUTHCOM South America CYBERCOM Cyber SPACECOM Space
View SOUTHCOM Alerts All Commands Current Level Conflict Map All Alerts