Overview

• President Donald Trump announced the strike in international waters and released a short unclassified video that shows a vessel exploding and burning.
• The White House frames the action as targeting narcoterrorist cartels; Trump says debris included bags of cocaine and fentanyl, though officials have not provided public proof.
• Lawmakers question the legal basis, with Rep. Adam Schiff drafting a War Powers resolution, and human rights groups warning the killings may violate international law.
• The operation follows a Sept. 2 strike that killed 11 people, a case that drew added scrutiny after reports the boat appeared to turn back before being hit.
• U.S. forces remain deployed in the southern Caribbean with F-35s, multiple warships, and a submarine, as Venezuela condemns the strikes and says communications with Washington have broken down.