Overview

• The Pentagon said two Venezuelan F‑16s flew near the USS Jason Dunham in international waters, calling the maneuver a highly provocative attempt to interfere with operations.
• The White House acknowledges a Sept. 2 strike that destroyed a vessel and killed 11 people, asserting they were Tren de Aragua members, while withholding operational details and proof of contraband.
• Reuters reported the U.S. is deploying 10 F‑35s to Puerto Rico as part of a broader buildup that includes multiple Navy destroyers operating in the southern Caribbean.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said similar actions will continue under an expanded campaign against designated narco‑terrorist groups, with Rubio also announcing new terror designations in Ecuador.
• Human‑rights groups and legal experts challenged the strike’s legality under U.S. and international law, as the administration prepares its rationale for Congress and faces calls for transparency.