The United States has begun deploying air and naval forces to the Southern Caribbean Sea to counter what it calls threats from Latin American drug cartels, Reuters reported Thursday.

According to two sources briefed on the decision, the Pentagon was directed to prepare options after President Donald Trump pushed for stronger action against gangs designated as global terrorist organizations. The move follows months of increased US military surveillance in the region and the earlier deployment of two warships to bolster anti-drug operations.

“This deployment is aimed at addressing threats to US national security from specially designated narco-terrorist organizations in the region,” one source said.