U.S. forces struck a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean, killing all three aboard, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. He described the men as narco-terrorists tied to a Designated Terrorist Organization, though his post on X offered no evidence. No U.S. personnel were harmed. The attack is at least the 15th since early September, with at least 64 deaths, as the Trump administration sends the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to support operations. Lawmakers in both parties are pressing for transparency; some Democrats said they were excluded from a briefing, and Sen. Mark Warner criticized the move.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.