Overview
- A Pentagon official confirmed an additional strike on an alleged drug‑trafficking vessel in the Caribbean this week, killing four and bringing the total to at least 20 strikes and roughly 80 deaths since September.
- Senior defense leaders briefed President Trump on updated options that include potential strikes on targets inside Venezuela, with multiple reports indicating no final decision has been made.
- The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group entered the region, lifting the U.S. presence to about 15,000 personnel across a dozen warships under a counter‑narcotics mission.
- Venezuela placed its forces on full operational readiness and announced a large nationwide deployment after the U.S. naval buildup near its coast.
- The U.K. and Colombia have halted certain intelligence sharing related to the operations, France’s foreign minister says the strikes disregard international law, and the U.N. human rights chief has urged an investigation.