Overview

• A War Powers resolution to require congressional authorization for future attacks failed 48–51, with Republicans Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski backing it and Democrat John Fetterman opposing.
• The White House says the military has carried out four strikes in international waters near Venezuela since early September, resulting in at least 21 deaths.
• The administration has notified Congress that it views the campaign as a non‑international armed conflict against designated cartels, a legal stance many lawmakers and experts dispute.
• Lawmakers report scant evidence on targets and rationale for using lethal force over interdiction, while the White House signaled a veto of any restriction and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged opposition.
• Regional tensions intensified as Colombia said the latest targeted boat was Colombian and U.S. naval deployments increased in the Caribbean, with Venezuela protesting incursions and escalation risks rising.