Overview
- Trump announced the latest strike in international waters, describing the target as a narco‑terrorist vessel and saying all three aboard were killed.
- U.S. forces have expanded in the Caribbean with the reactivation of Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico plus F‑35 jets, Reaper drones, eight Navy ships, and a nuclear submarine.
- Caracas condemned the action as an illegal aggression, with Nicolás Maduro saying communications with Washington were cut after threats and coercion.
- Key facts remain disputed, including whether prior victims were migrant smugglers and whether a boat had turned back at the moment of attack, intensifying legal and humanitarian concerns.
- China and Russia criticized the U.S. buildup as destabilizing, several Latin American leaders voiced opposition, and reporting notes a $50 million U.S. reward for information leading to Maduro.