Overview

• A U.S. strike on Oct. 14 destroyed a small boat off Venezuela and killed six people, with President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth releasing video of the attack.
• The administration says intelligence linked the vessel to narcotrafficking and illicit terrorist networks, though lawmakers have not been shown proof, according to U.S. officials.
• Since early September, the U.S. has reported at least five lethal maritime strikes in the Caribbean with roughly 27 deaths, supported by warships, aircraft and a submarine.
• Trump told reporters he is considering operations on Venezuelan soil and said he authorized CIA covert actions reported by The New York Times.
• Venezuela denies U.S. allegations and is expanding ZODI deployments under its Independencia 200 plan, while UN experts, rights groups and some U.S. lawmakers question the legality after a congressional bid to require new authorization failed.