Overview
- Pentagon officials have formalized Operation Southern Spear with major naval and air assets, and U.S. strikes on roughly 20 small boats have killed at least 76 people according to American data, with scant public evidence offered on narcotics links.
- President Trump said he has “somewhat” made a decision on Venezuela, as Caracas condemned new U.S.–Trinidad and Tobago drills as irresponsible and called for protests during the scheduled exercises.
- Regional reactions are split, with left-leaning leaders in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil criticizing the maritime strikes, some right-leaning governments offering limited support, and Trinidad and Tobago voicing strong backing for the U.S. posture.
- The UN Security Council is expected to vote Monday on a U.S. draft endorsing a temporary international stabilization force and a transitional ‘Council of Peace’ for Gaza, with multiple Arab and Muslim-majority states publicly supporting swift adoption.
- Washington is pressing Israel to resolve the issue of Hamas fighters trapped in Rafah’s tunnels as ideas like relocation to a third country remain unagreed, and Israeli figures warn they may resume operations to disarm Hamas if the initiative fails, even as the ceasefire holds, according to the U.S. ambassador to Israel.