Overview

• Trump told reporters the U.S. had just struck a drug-laden boat from Venezuela, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio described it as a lethal operation against a designated narco‑terrorist organization.
• The Pentagon and U.S. Coast Guard had not released operational details or confirmations on the strike’s location, casualties, or assets involved at the time of reporting.
• The current U.S. posture includes several guided‑missile destroyers, the cruiser USS Lake Erie, and a fast‑attack submarine, with thousands of sailors and Marines deployed to the southern Caribbean.
• Nicolás Maduro labeled the deployment a bid for regime change, declared “maximum readiness,” mobilized troops and reservists, and warned he would initiate an armed struggle if Venezuela is attacked.
• Washington recently doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million as regional reactions diverge, with Guyana welcoming the deployment and other governments warning it could destabilize the region.