Overview

• Trump said he is considering strikes on Venezuelan territory, adding that the United States now controls the sea.
• The New York Times reported the White House ordered CIA covert operations inside Venezuela, a claim Trump refused to confirm.
• Since September 2, U.S. forces have struck suspected trafficker boats in international waters, with reports of at least five to six vessels sunk and 27 dead.
• Venezuela launched nationwide military exercises, mobilized reservists, and staged drills in the border states of Tachira, Apure and Amazonas, an area described by sources close to the White House as a possible target zone.
• Washington frames the campaign as counter-narcotics, while Maduro accuses the U.S. of seeking regime change and oil, as the U.S. offers a $50 million reward for his capture.