Overview

• President Donald Trump said U.S. forces destroyed a drug-laden boat tied to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua in international waters, reporting eleven fatalities and no U.S. casualties.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a “deadly strike” and officials said the vessel had departed Venezuela, with the State Department indicating the shipment may have been headed toward Trinidad and Tobago or another Caribbean destination.
• Trump posted footage purporting to show the attack, while Venezuela’s communications minister questioned the video’s authenticity and alleged it could have been produced with artificial intelligence.
• The operation follows a broader U.S. buildup in the region, with additional Navy ships deployed and a unit of more than 4,000 sailors and Marines expected to arrive, alongside recent terrorist designations and a $50 million reward targeting Nicolás Maduro.
• Maduro condemned the U.S. naval presence as the “greatest threat” in a century and threatened armed mobilization, while analysts cast doubt on his claims of millions of militia members.