Carrier Deploys to Expand US Presence
The Pentagon ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to deploy near South America.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth assigned the carrier to US Southern Command.
The strike group includes five destroyers accompanying the carrier.
The USS Ford currently operates in the Mediterranean Sea.
Officials said the deployment will improve detection and disruption of illicit actors.
Strikes on Suspected Narco Vessels Escalate Tensions
Hegseth reported the military conducted its tenth strike on a suspected drug boat.
The overnight attack killed six people, he announced on social media.
The strikes began in early September and now total at least 43 deaths.
Hegseth accused the seized vessel of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang.
He compared narco-terrorists to Al-Qaeda and vowed to hunt and kill them.
Regional Buildup Spurs Political and Military Reactions
The US has increased forces in the Caribbean and off Venezuela’s coast.
Officials flew two hypersonic heavy bombers near Venezuela’s shoreline on Thursday.
The administration blames Venezuela-linked vessels for some recent intercepted boats.
Maduro called the strikes attempts to topple his government.
He staged coastal defence exercises and mobilised militia forces along the coast.
Maduro said his forces covered the entire coastline with weapons and equipment.
Observers say the US uses counter-narcotics rhetoric to push regional political goals.
Elizabeth Dickinson argued Washington sends a message through military deployments.
The administration declared cartels unlawful combatants and likened the campaign to counterterrorism.
When asked about seeking a formal war declaration, Trump rejected that plan.
Trump told reporters the US will kill people smuggling drugs into the country.
