Overview
- A Pentagon official confirmed a Nov. 10 strike in the Caribbean that killed four, bringing the publicly acknowledged tally to 20 strikes and 80 dead since early September.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Operation Southern Spear as the USS Gerald R. Ford heads into Southern Command waters, with the mission expected to involve nearly a dozen Navy ships and about 12,000 sailors and Marines.
- Reporting on a classified DOJ Office of Legal Counsel memo says it relies on White House assertions to deem cartels parties to a non-international armed conflict and outlines protections such as battlefield immunity for U.S. personnel.
- The memo reportedly references fentanyl as a chemical-weapons threat, while U.S. allies including the United Kingdom have curtailed intelligence sharing and lawmakers in both parties continue to question the legal basis and targeting.
- Senior military leaders briefed President Trump on additional options related to Venezuela, including potential land strikes, though sources say no final decision has been made.