Overview
- At an emergency Security Council session, UN officials warned of rising regional risks, said they cannot independently verify U.S. accounts of the incidents, and urged compliance with international law.
- The U.S. says it carried out four lethal strikes on suspected drug boats since early September near Venezuela, reporting 21 deaths and framing the operations as lawful self-defense.
- Washington has expanded naval and air deployments and created a counter-narcotics Joint Task Force, with officials vowing to use the military to disrupt trafficking routes.
- Venezuela denounced the strikes as violations of sovereignty, requested the UN meeting, and warned of a potential U.S. attack as Russia and others pressed for de-escalation.
- A Senate war-powers resolution to limit the operations failed 51–48, while UN human-rights experts called a strike unlawful and urged a full, independent investigation.