Overview
- The Pentagon confirmed an early‑week strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean that killed four people, bringing reported fatalities from roughly 20 attacks to about 80.
- War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Operación Lanza del Sur, led by Southern Command and a joint task force, with the stated goal of removing “narcoterrorists” from the Western Hemisphere.
- The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group is now in the southern Caribbean, and senior commanders briefed President Trump on options for Venezuela, though no decision for strikes on its territory has been made.
- The Justice Department told Congress it does not need prior approval for these actions, while the U.N. human rights chief urged a legal review citing signs of extrajudicial executions.
- Diplomatic ripples widened as the U.K. curtailed intelligence sharing, Venezuela said it will take its case to the U.N., Russia warned against destabilization, Mexico set a mechanism for its navy to conduct interceptions in its waters, and Panama denied facilitating any hostile moves.