Overview

• President Donald Trump said the operation targeted members of Tren de Aragua in international waters and posted video showing a boat struck and engulfed in flames.
• Venezuelan officials rejected the US account and alleged the footage was AI-generated, while Reuters reported an initial review found no signs of manipulation and independent verification of identities and cargo remains pending.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the effort a deadly serious mission and warned similar actions against designated narco‑terrorists will continue.
• The US State Department said the shipment was likely headed to Trinidad and Tobago or another Caribbean country, diverging from Trump's claim it was bound for the United States.
• The Pentagon has positioned multiple warships and says more than 4,000 sailors and Marines are arriving in the region as Nicolás Maduro mobilizes militias and condemns the buildup; the US recently doubled its reward for information leading to his arrest to $50 million.