Overview

• Trump said a Saturday-night action was the fifth recent operation against suspected drug boats in the southern Caribbean, with at least 21 fatalities reported by U.S. officials across the strikes.
• He asserted that maritime targets have largely disappeared and warned forces may now "start looking on land."
• U.S. officials, including Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio, defended the campaign as lawful and intelligence-driven, citing designations of Venezuelan cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
• Venezuela activated a 'conmoción exterior' decree, mobilized defenses, and notified Washington of an alleged plan by local extremists to place explosives at the U.S. embassy in Caracas.
• Separately, Colombian police captured José Antonio 'El Caracas' Márquez, an alleged Tren de Aragua armed-wing leader, in a joint operation with U.S. and U.K. partners.