Overview
- Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials have identified targets inside Venezuela—including ports, airports, naval facilities and airstrips—for possible strikes that could occur in days or even hours.
- The Wall Street Journal said no final decision had been made, and President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, "No," when asked if he was planning attacks.
- U.S. military assets massed in the region include the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, eight Navy ships, F‑35 fighters in Puerto Rico, and recent B‑52 and B‑1 bomber flights near Venezuela.
- The U.N. high commissioner for human rights labeled recent U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific "unacceptable," called for investigations, and cited more than 60 deaths since early September.
- The Venezuelan government denounced a threat to its sovereignty and accused Washington of pursuing regime change, as Brazil’s President Lula offered mediation and opposition leader María Corina Machado questioned its efficacy.