Overview

• Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the most recently destroyed vessel was Colombian and carried Colombian citizens, and he urged families to come forward and file complaints.
• The White House called Petro’s assertion baseless and asked him to retract it, while maintaining the boats targeted were drug traffickers.
• U.S. officials have acknowledged at least four strikes that killed 21 people, but they have not released names or public evidence; two unnamed officials told the New York Times Colombians were on at least one boat.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a recent strike in international waters off Venezuela killed four people on a suspected trafficking vessel.
• Venezuela launched new coastal military exercises and denounced the U.S. deployment, as Petro pushed for possible Qatari mediation and a Senate measure to require authorization for further strikes failed in a 48–51 vote.