Overview

• Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the most recently bombed vessel was Colombian with citizens aboard, a claim the White House labeled baseless and urged him to withdraw.
• U.S. forces have carried out at least four lethal strikes on suspected drug‑trafficking boats in recent weeks, with the White House saying 21 people were killed and no names released.
• It remains unclear whether the incident Petro referenced matches one of the Pentagon‑announced strikes, as President Trump touted an Oct. 5 operation that the Pentagon has not tied to a reported Oct. 4 event.
• Two U.S. officials told the New York Times that Colombians were on at least one of the destroyed boats, according to the Guardian’s account of their comments.
• Washington describes the campaign as counternarcotics as lawmakers press for legal clarity, with Sen. Adam Schiff seeking to block further strikes and Attorney General Pam Bondi declining to discuss any legal guidance.