The U.S. Defense Secretary announced a new strike on a boat off Venezuela, claiming it carried drugs and "narco-terrorists." This is the fourth such strike, expanding the Trump administration's declared "armed conflict" with cartels, which the President asserts are unlawful combatants. While some officials support the action to combat drug trafficking, critics question presidential war powers and the lack of congressional authorization, with Venezuela's president condemning the action as "murder."

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.