Overview
- Senior defense leaders briefed President Trump on updated options for operations in Venezuela, including potential land strikes, with no decision made, according to CBS News.
- A Pentagon official confirmed at least 20 maritime strikes since September, with the latest attack in the Caribbean killing four people and a total death toll reported at roughly 75–80.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the campaign’s formal designation as Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR under U.S. Southern Command, following the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford and a regional U.S. force posture of roughly 12,000–15,000 personnel.
- Venezuela declared full operational readiness and ordered large-scale deployments, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López citing the U.S. carrier group’s entry into the region.
- The U.K. and Colombia have curtailed intelligence sharing and France’s foreign minister says the strikes disregard international law, while a reported DOJ Office of Legal Counsel opinion found U.S. troops would not face future prosecution.