Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said two vessels in international waters were struck on Sunday in the eastern Pacific, killing six people with no U.S. casualties.
- The publicly acknowledged tally stands at about 19 strikes since early September, with roughly 75–76 deaths and around 20 vessels destroyed.
- The administration asserts legal authority by framing traffickers as unlawful combatants under Title 10 with Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel approvals.
- U.N. human-rights chief Volker Türk called for U.S. investigations, citing strong indications of violations of international human-rights law and possible extrajudicial killings.
- Congressional briefings continued last week, yet lawmakers still seek evidence and legal justification as the U.S. reinforces its regional military presence, including a carrier strike group.