New Delhi, March 4 -- Ecuador and the United States have launched joint military operations targeting drug trafficking networks, marking what President Daniel Noboa called a "new phase" in the country's fight against narco-terrorism.

The announcement was confirmed by United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which said Ecuadorian and US forces began coordinated operations on March 3 against "Designated Terrorist Organizations" operating in the country.

Noboa, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, said the operations were part of a broader crackdown on cartels that use Ecuador's ports to ship cocaine to global markets.

"In March, we will conduct joint operations with our regional allies, including the United States," Noboa wrote o...