Overview

• The New York Times reported that the administration has formally notified Congress the United States has entered an armed conflict with drug trafficking organizations.
• Reporting says U.S. forces bombed a Venezuela‑origin vessel on the high seas in September, with three strikes and 17 deaths claimed, as legal experts question using the military rather than the Coast Guard.
• The White House argues narcotics inflows constitute an attack on the United States and that targeting smugglers is lawful self‑defense under the law of armed conflict.
• Venezuela condemned the U.S. action as a military invasion, signaling rising tensions between Caracas and Washington.
• CBS News reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly approved Israeli attacks on a Gaza‑bound flotilla off Tunisia on Sept. 8–9, citing submarine‑launched drones and alleged incendiary munitions; no casualties were reported and some vessels were later seized, while Egypt announced Israel–Hamas talks for Oct. 6 and President Trump thanked Israel for a temporary pause in bombardment.