Overview

• Multiple reports citing administration sources say the White House is evaluating military options that include hitting cartel targets on Venezuelan territory.
• Asked whether he is considering strikes inside Venezuela, President Donald Trump replied, “you’ll find out.”
• U.S. officials say a recent attack on a fast boat departing Venezuela killed 11 suspected traffickers, while Caracas disputed the video Trump shared as evidence.
• After two Venezuelan F-16s flew over a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, the Pentagon deployed 10 F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico and maintained amphibious and destroyer forces in the southern Caribbean.
• The administration has labeled certain cartel networks terrorist groups with ties to Nicolás Maduro, doubled the reward for his arrest to $50 million, and now faces legal challenges and regional alarm over the campaign.