Overview
- President Donald Trump said the strike occurred in international waters off Venezuela and released aerial video of the blast.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the operation under the president’s standing authorities, according to Trump.
- At least 27 people have been killed across five acknowledged maritime strikes since Sept. 2, the administration says.
- Lawmakers from both parties have demanded the legal rationale and underlying intelligence, and a Senate bid to curb the strikes failed last week.
- Venezuelan officials condemned the actions as aggression as the U.S. maintains an expanded naval and air presence in the southern Caribbean.