Overview

• Trump said U.S. forces hit another vessel off Venezuela over the weekend, bringing acknowledged operations to at least four strikes with at least 21 people killed in recent weeks.
• A formal notice to Congress describes cartel members as unlawful combatants in a non‑international armed conflict, and experts note the War Powers clock started with early September strikes and could force a decision by early November.
• Russia voiced full support for Caracas and condemned the latest attack in international waters, while Venezuela denounced U.S. actions and signaled readiness to defend the country.
• Reporting indicates Trump directed envoy Richard Grenell to halt talks with Nicolás Maduro, marking a break in diplomacy as officials weigh options that could include targets on land.
• The Pentagon has forward‑based F‑35s and deployed warships, a submarine, and Marines to the region, as critics question the legal basis and note the United States has not publicly presented evidence of narcotics from the boats it struck.