Overview

• Six Marine F-35B jets landed at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, with open-source trackers indicating four more are en route.
• At least two MQ-9 Reaper drones are staged at Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, documented by Reuters photography and commercial satellite imagery.
• The new air assets augment a sizable U.S. presence that includes the USS Iwo Jima with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, multiple destroyers, a fast-attack submarine, and frequent C-17 and KC-135 flights.
• U.S. officials say the Sept. 2 strike on a small boat targeted narcotraffickers tied to Tren de Aragua, while Venezuela disputes the claim and has shifted forces to coastal and border areas.
• Members of Congress are pressing for details on authorities and rules of engagement as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine visit Puerto Rico and defend the operation, and U.S. Southern Command declines comment on land-based aircraft deployments.