Overview

• The U.S. has positioned warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and newly arrived F-35s in Puerto Rico, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth telling deployed forces the mission is real and aimed at “destroying narcoterrorists.”
• The administration says a recent maritime strike in international waters killed 11 alleged members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, yet it has not publicly produced evidence to support those claims.
• New reporting says the targeted boat had turned away before the attack began, deepening questions from legal experts and lawmakers who argue the strike violates U.S. and international law.
• Caracas has mobilized ships, militia and a 25,000-person reinforcement in coastal regions, rejected reports of a U.S. helicopter near La Orchila and accused Washington of seeking “false positives.”
• Political pressure has escalated with a $50 million U.S. reward for information on Nicolás Maduro, public taunts between Maduro and Puerto Rico’s governor, and protests on the island over the military buildup.