Overview
- Authorities reported intercepting a boat off the Dominican Republic carrying 484 packages of cocaine—nearly 500 kilograms—and arrested two Dominican men.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly named Operation Southern Spear and said the mission targets narco‑terrorists, following weeks of U.S. naval and air deployments.
- Reporting points to roughly 20 suspected smuggling boats destroyed since September and at least 80 deaths, prompting warnings from jurists and UN rights chief Volker Türk about extrajudicial killings and international law.
- President Donald Trump said he has almost made a decision on potential action regarding Venezuela after high‑level consultations, as questions persist over the scope of the operation.
- Regional responses diverge, with leaders in Chile, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico voicing opposition while Argentina, Paraguay, Ecuador and El Salvador align more closely with Washington, and reports suggest Caracas is preparing guerrilla‑style resistance plans.