Overview

• Trump said a U.S. operation in international waters killed three men on a vessel he described as trafficking narcotics in the U.S. Southern Command region, and he posted aerial footage of the strike.
• The Pentagon deferred detailed questions to the White House, which has not publicly provided the location, seized contraband, or comprehensive intelligence supporting the targeting.
• The latest action follows strikes on Sept. 2 that the White House says killed 11 and on Sept. 15 that killed three, with officials asserting links to designated terrorist groups such as Tren de Aragua, a claim Venezuela disputes.
• Sens. Adam Schiff and Tim Kaine filed a War Powers–style resolution challenging the president’s authority for the operations, while Human Rights Watch and UN experts condemned the killings as extrajudicial.
• U.S. forces have surged into the southern Caribbean with warships, a fast‑attack submarine, and F‑35s deployed to Puerto Rico, as Venezuela denounces the campaign and regional tensions increase.