Overview
- The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel reportedly told the White House that U.S. troops who strike suspected smuggling vessels would not face future prosecution.
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the operations violate international law, and U.K. media reports say Britain has paused certain intelligence sharing tied to the strikes.
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered a suspension of law‑enforcement intelligence cooperation with U.S. agencies until the boat attacks stop.
- The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group arrived in the region as the U.S. presence neared 15,000 troops, and Venezuela put forces on high readiness in response.
- Since September, the U.S. has carried out roughly 19 strikes that killed about 75–76 people, with officials labeling targets “narcoterrorists” but offering limited public evidence the boats carried drugs.