Overview

• U.S. forces this week destroyed a small boat in international waters near Venezuela, with President Trump saying six alleged smugglers were killed and releasing a short strike video without further public evidence.
• Trump confirmed he has authorized CIA activities inside Venezuela and said the campaign will increasingly focus on land routes, noting he has considered the use of ground forces.
• U.S. authorities report at least 27 fatalities across five recent maritime strikes targeting suspected drug‑smuggling vessels in the Caribbean.
• The Pentagon has informed Congress that it views the campaign as a non‑international armed conflict with drug cartels, a legal stance that has prompted war‑powers and evidentiary challenges.
• Venezuela condemned the actions as violations of international law and ordered military exercises, the United Nations urged restraint, and police in Trinidad and Tobago said they are probing whether two of the six people killed in the latest strike were their nationals.