Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the attack in international waters off Venezuela was conducted on President Donald Trump's orders and shared video of the strike.
• The Pentagon said the vessel carried substantial narcotics bound for the United States and labeled those aboard as narcoterrorists, reporting no U.S. casualties.
• Friday's strike is the fourth publicly confirmed in recent weeks, bringing the reported death toll to about 21 across operations in the southern Caribbean.
• The administration has notified Congress that cartel members are considered illegal combatants under its legal rationale, which has drawn scrutiny from legal experts and some lawmakers.
• Venezuela has issued emergency measures and mobilizations as regional criticism grows, including Colombia's President Gustavo Petro condemning the latest strike as an assassination.