Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the attack was conducted in international waters on President Donald Trump's orders, and no U.S. forces were hurt.
• Officials said intelligence unequivocally confirmed drug smuggling and described a substantial load, while Trump claimed without detailed evidence that the cargo could kill 25,000 to 50,000 people.
• Hegseth published a 37‑second clip showing a fast boat struck from the air and burning on the water.
• The operation is at least the fourth such strike in recent weeks, with reported deaths rising to at least 21 as the U.S. sustains a regional buildup that includes eight warships with more than 5,000 personnel and F‑35 jets based in Puerto Rico.
• Venezuela has protested U.S. military activity near its coast and warned of invasion, as critics and some legal experts question the public evidence and the asserted authority to use lethal force against suspected smugglers.