Overview
- Venezuela’s defense and foreign ministries said U.S. combat aircraft operated about 75 kilometers off its coast and called the move a provocation that violates international law and the Chicago Convention.
- Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said U.S. forces hit a suspected drug‑smuggling vessel in international waters off Venezuela, killing four men, and posted a brief strike video as President Trump claimed the boat carried drugs sufficient to kill 25,000 to 50,000 people.
- U.S. officials have previously reported destroying multiple boats described as narco‑terrorist targets in September, with at least 17 fatalities across several actions.
- The administration has not publicly presented evidence that the targeted vessels carried narcotics, and Venezuelan authorities allege earlier strikes killed civilians.
- Caracas has activated the Indipendenza 2000 coastal plan and demanded an immediate halt to U.S. operations, warning that the maneuvers endanger regional stability.