Caribbean

Even as the U.S. continues to build up forces in the Caribbean ostensibly for an enhanced counternarcotics operation that could include inland strikes, there are reported plans underway for attacks on cartels inside Mexico.

The San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship USS Fort Lauderdale has left Mayport, Florida, and is returning to the Caribbean to rejoin the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)/22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), a U.S. official confirmed to The War Zone Monday morning. The vessel left on Sunday and is now south of Miami in the Straits of Florida, according to an online ship tracker. It will provide additional air and troop support once it arrives on station. San Antonio class ships can launch and land two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters or two MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft or up to four AH-1Z, UH-1Y or MH-60 helicopters at once. In addition, they can carry Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft or other landing craft and boats in their well deck, and can transport up to 800 Marines.

The Fort Lauderdale is set to rejoin a flotilla of at least eight other surface warships plus a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine arrayed for an enhanced counter-narcotics mission also aimed, at least partially, at Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro. The Henry J. Kaiser class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha is in the region as well, the Navy official told us. In addition, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and one of its escort ships, the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge, are currently in the western Mediterranean Sea, heading toward the Caribbean, a U.S. Navy official told The War Zone. It could take as long as another week for those ships to arrive in the Caribbean, the official added.

The MV Ocean Trader – a roll-on/roll-off cargo ship modified to carry special operators and their gear – has also appeared in several places around the Caribbean in recent weeks. Navy officials and U.S. Special Operations Command have declined to comment on this vessel. The ship, which TWZ first reported on back in 2016, has been something of a ghost since entering service, popping up in hot spots around the globe.

There is also an increasing buildup on the land. Reuters noted that the U.S. is continuing to make improvements at the former Roosevelt Roads Navy base for use by combat and cargo aircraft. Since August, the facility has been used as a central logistics hub, with frequent landings by airlifters and by aircraft from the 22nd MEU as well. The new additions include Mobile Aircraft Arresting Systems for stopping incoming fast jets. As we have reported in the past, Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighters are already operating from there and the MAAS can help support I fighters during emergencies. The incoming USS Gerald R. Ford’s air wing, for instance, could use the base as a divert location.

The military has also set up 20 tents at the installation.

📍José Aponte de la Torre Airport, #UnitedStates (🇺🇸)

Recent @Reuters photos from José Aponte de la Torre Airport viewing the ongoing C-17A Globemaster III logistics operations unloading cargo at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/mgpPjJxwOu

— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) November 3, 2025

Satellite images show construction of an ammunition storage facility at the airport at Rafael Hernandez Airport, the second-busiest civilian airport in Puerto Rico.

Reuters also found significant changes at Rafael Hernandez Airport. The US military has moved in communications gear and a mobile air traffic control tower. Satellite images show construction of an ammunition storage facility at the airport -Reuters pic.twitter.com/L3lRCwr3kU

— barry with the NED (@bonzerbarry) November 2, 2025

Beyond Puerto Rico, the U.S. has set up a new radar system at an airport in St. Croix.

A AN/TPS-75, which acts as the primary land-based tactical air defense radar for the U.S. Air Force, seen deployed late last month at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on the Island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, just to the southeast of Puerto Rico and roughly 450 miles to the… pic.twitter.com/eaC3vEybgU

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 2, 2025

Despite the buildup, the Trump administration’s goal remains unclear. In an interview on Sunday with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, President Donald Trump offered a mixed message about his plans for Venezuela.

Asked if the U.S. was going to war with the South American nation, Trump answered, “I doubt it. I don’t think so. But they’ve been treating us very badly, not only on drugs – they’ve dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country that we didn’t want, people from prisons – they emptied their prisons into our country.”

Later in the interview, the president was asked if “Maduro’s days as president are numbered.”

“I would say ‘yeah. I think so, yeah,” Trump responded. The American leader, however, declined to offer any details about what that meant.

“I’m not gonna tell you what I’m gonna do with Venezuela, if I was gonna do it or if I wasn’t going to do it,” he explained when queried about whether he will order land attacks in Venezuela.

As for why the Ford carrier strike group is heading toward the Caribbean, Trump explained, “it’s gotta be somewhere. It’s a big one.”

Officials in Russia, which recently ratified a mutual support agreement with Venezuela, have voiced their support for Maduro.

Moscow “resolutely condemns the use of excessive military force” by the U.S. in the Caribbean,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, adding that Russia fully supports the Venezuelan government in its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and maintain the region as a “zone of peace.”

Amid the growing tensions, Russian aircraft have landed in Venezuela. potentially with military supplies, Defense News reported last week.

A russian Il-76 landed in Venezuela following Maduro’s appeal to the russian Federation for military assistance, – Defense News.

These aircraft were previously used to transport weapons, military equipment, and even russian mercenaries. pic.twitter.com/M6cC7Srwz8

— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) November 1, 2025

Meanwhile, as Trump maintains a level of strategic ambiguity about his objectives toward Maduro, the U.S “has begun detailed planning for a new mission to send American troops and intelligence officers into Mexico to target drug cartels,” NBC News reported Monday morning.  That possibility and how it could happen were subjects we examined in great detail back in February, which you can read about here.

While no deployments are imminent, training for such a mission is already underway, the network added.

“The U.S. troops, many of whom would be from Joint Special Operations Command, would operate under the authority of the U.S. intelligence community, known as Title 50 status,” NBC posited, citing two anonymous U.S. officials. ”They said officers from the CIA also would participate.”

These operations would have U.S. troops in Mexico “mainly use drone strikes to hit drug labs and cartel members and leaders,” the report continued. “Some of the drones that special forces would use require operators to be on the ground to use them effectively and safely, the officials said.”

As we have previously wrote, such an operation would be precedent-setting. While U.S. troops like Green Berets from the 7th Special Forces Group routinely work with Mexican forces, training them to hit cartels and serving as observers on raids, there has yet to be a known U.S. military kinetic action inside Mexico.

The most famous example of a covert strike using U.S. troops under Title 50 authority was the 2011 Navy SEAL attack on al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden, but what NBC is describing is a much more sustained operation with increased risks, a former White House official under the first Trump administration told us.

“This seems like more of a campaign,” Javed Ali, who worked in the National Security Council’s (NSC) counterterrorism unit during the first Trump administration, explained. “What the administration is trying to achieve under Title 50 is ostensibly to use military force, but covertly. But in this day of social media, it is harder to not have that revealed. They lose the element of surprise.”

As we have previously reported, Mexico’s increasingly well-armed drug cartels pose a serious threat to external forces. Some cartel units are have adopted some of the latest features of warfare. They have been using drones to attack enemies for years now, for instance. These organizations also often move around in increasingly well-protected so-called “narco tanks.” 

Ali raised an additional concern. Would the cartels, who already have operatives in the United States, strike back if they were attacked in Mexico?

“The enemy gets a vote,” Ali suggested. “Would the cartels be so bold to actually conduct attacks inside the United States is an open question. If a cartel lab gets blown up or cartel leaders are killed in drone strikes, how would they respond? Inside the government, I would have to think they are looking at all those contingencies.”

Still, even with these risks, it seems clear the Trump is willing to go further than his predecessors in hopes of significantly reducing the flow of narcotics into the United States. Public support for such actions will likely be dictated by losses of American troops — if any — in the process, should such operations move forward. It’s also not clear where the Mexican government stands on this issue at this time.

It is unknown exactly what the Trump administration will do when it comes to countering cartels and taking on Maduro. However, while U.S. strikes against the Venezuelan cartels have been limited to attacks on alleged drug-smuggling boats, the possibility exists that America could soon find itself conducting kinetic strikes on two fronts in its own backyard.

Update: 5:03 PM Eastern –

The Navy provided us with some context about why the Fort Lauderdale was in Mayport.

“The USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) returned to Naval Station Mayport from Oct. 24 to Nov. 2, 2025, for a mid-deployment voyage repair (MDVR) and maintenance period. NS Mayport’s facilities offered the most expedient option with the best infrastructure, maintenance, repair, and logistical support for the maintenance period.

A Mid-Deployment voyage repair (MDVR) is a period, roughly halfway through a ship’s deployment, where necessary and preventative maintenance and repairs are made. This MDVR allowed Fort Lauderdale to conduct vital maintenance to the ship with the support of in-port services.

In-port maintenance and logistical support enable the ship to correct and maintain materiel readiness, warfighter readiness, and sustainability.”

Contact the author: [email protected]

The U.S. Navy is continuing to build up its forces in the Caribbean amid reported claims that an attack on Venezuela could be imminent. The Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg is now in the region, a U.S. Navy official told The War Zone. The Gettysburg adds to a current force of eight other warships deployed as part of enhanced counter-narcotics operations also aimed at Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. In addition, as we have previously reported, the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group has also been ordered to the region, but is not expected to arrive for at least another week.

The Gettysburg is the second cruiser to take part in the operation, joining the USS Lake Erie. The vessels in this class bring a great deal of additional firepower and other capabilities to the flotilla now arrayed in the Caribbean. You can read more about the status of America’s dwindling fleet of cruisers here.

News about the Gettysburg deployed to the Caribbean comes as the Miami Herald on Friday reported that U.S. strikes on targets inside Venezuela “could come at any moment.”

“Sources told the Herald that the targets — which could be struck by air in a matter of days or even hours — also aim to decapitate the cartel’s hierarchy,” the publication reported. The outlet added that it is unclear if that means taking out Maduro. The Venezuelan leader was indicted in a New York federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency. He and 14 others, including several close allies, were hit with federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy with the Colombian FARC insurgent group to import cocaine. There is now a $50 million bounty for his arrest.

The Herald story follows reporting on Thursday by the Wall Street Journal that the Trump administration “has identified targets in Venezuela that include military facilities used to smuggle drugs.”

While the Journal says that President Donald Trump hasn’t made a final decision yet on ordering strikes against land targets, anonymous officials told the paper that “a potential air campaign would focus on targets that sit at the nexus of the drug gangs and the Maduro regime.”

The potential targets under consideration “include ports and airports controlled by the military that are allegedly used to traffic drugs, including naval facilities and airstrips, according to one of the officials,” the publication added. 

Trump has since outright denied that he is considering strikes on Venezuela.

The president replied “no” when asked by reporters on Friday aboard Air Force One if it was true he is weighing whether to attack military sites in Venezuela. He said “no” again when asked if he had decided on the matter.

A White House spokesperson further pushed back on any assertion that an attack was imminent.

“Unnamed sources don’t know what they’re talking about,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, told The War Zone. “Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the president.” Kelly did not answer our questions about when that decision might take place or what targets, if any, have been identified.

A U.S. official we spoke with on Friday morning was not aware of any imminent plans to attack Venezuela. 

“While it does not appear that such an attack would take place in the coming hours, the U.S. military will be ready to execute at the POTUS’ direction,” said the official. “We are poised to execute any orders given to us.”

While Trump has stated that he is eyeing land strikes on drug targets in Venezuela, so far, attacks have been limited to what the Pentagon asserts are drug smuggling boats. Several strikes have resulted in multiple deaths of suspected drug smugglers.

Earlier today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on yet another narco-trafficking vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Eastern Pacific.

This vessel, like all the others, was known by our… pic.twitter.com/mBOLA5RYQe

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 29, 2025

These attacks have come under intense criticism for being carried out without evidence or the consent of Congress.

Blowing up boats without proof isn’t justice; it’s what China or Iran would do. There’s no evidence of fentanyl and no due process.

This isn’t about blowing up drug boats, it’s about talks of regime change in Venezuela. We’ve seen how that ends: chaos, not freedom.

America… pic.twitter.com/8VBNWu2xE9

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) October 30, 2025

Regardless of the timing of a large-scale attack, U.S. Navy vessels appear to be sailing closer to Venezuela. Satellite imagery shows that the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and an unidentified Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer have come closer than 125 miles from La Orchila, one of Venezuela’s outlying islands. The U.S. Navy official we spoke with declined to confirm the specific location of the Iwo Jima or any other vessels.

In another potential sign of future operations, the U.S. just closed airspace off the Puerto Rican coast, designating it “National Defense Airspace.” Pilots not adhering to the notice to airmen (NOTAM) are subject to being intercepted, detained and having criminal charges levied against them.

The NOTAM is adjacent to José Aponte de la Torre Airport, home to a significant deployment of forces, including F-35s. You can read more about the airport’s role in the ongoing operations in our story here.

This appears to be a ‘corridor TFR’ supporting military operations operating out of Puerto Rico into the Caribbean and back.

These are typically used when there is a high amount of traffic expected. https://t.co/7oZadNszc7

— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) October 31, 2025

Meanwhile, as the U.S. continues to build up forces in the region, the Pentagon is assessing what, if any, resources will be deployed to provide humanitarian relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. The storm was a Category 5 hurricane when it slammed into Jamaica and Haiti, causing tremendous destruction.

U.S. Southern Command on Friday announced that Joint Task Force-Bravo deployed to Kingston, Jamaica, “on a mission to provide humanitarian and disaster relief assistance following Hurricane Melissa,” the command said in a statement.

“Three CH-47 Chinooks from the 1st Battalion, 228 Aviation Regiment, carried 40 service members and supplies as part of the initial effort to provide immediate, lifesaving and humanitarian support,” the statement continued. “The advance team will set up operations in Kingston to prepare for the arrival of additional personnel and equipment via three UH-60 and two HH-60 Blackhawks. Upon arrival, they will provide ongoing U.S. disaster relief assistance missions requested by the government of Jamaica.”

“Historically, U.S. military capabilities are needed most in the critical early stages of a disaster relief operation, when fewer resources, capabilities and disaster-response experts are available to help victims and impacted communities,” SOUTHCOM added.

The ships and troops of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG)/22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), already in the region as part of the counter-narcotics mission, could also potentially be deployed for relief efforts. In addition to more than 4,000 Marines and sailors, the ships in the ARG/MEU have Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft, CH-53, UH-1 and MH-60 helicopters, MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft and AV-8B Harrier II attack jets that could be beneficial in any crisis response.

While these units have responded to post-storm relief efforts in the region in the past, no tasking has yet been made for Melissa, the official told us.

“It is too early to say if the 22nd MEU will be deployed for any humanitarian relief efforts,” the official posited.

Regardless, assigning assets for relief efforts will not affect the counter-narcotics operation, SOUTHCOM said.

“SOUTHCOM is mission-ready to support both missions as required,” Army Col. Emanuel Ortiz, a SOUTHCOM spokesman, told us.

While it is publicly unknown what Trump’s plans are concerning Venezuela or Maduro, the addition of the Gettysburg is one more asset the president can call on should he decide to attack.

Update: 2:43 PM Eastern –

The Navy provided us with a comment about what the Gettysburg will bring to the table.

“As a Ticonderoga class cruiser, the USS Gettysburg (CG 70) brings a versatile suite of capabilities to support naval operations. These cruisers are designed as multi-mission surface combatants, capable of contributing significantly to Air Warfare (AW), Undersea Warfare (USW), Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS), and Surface Warfare (SUW) efforts.

The Gettysburg can effectively support carrier strike groups, amphibious forces, or operate independently as a flagship of surface action groups. Equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, the vessel provides long-range strike warfare options. Furthermore, some Aegis cruisers, including the Gettysburg, have been upgraded with Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capabilities. Advances in Standard Missile technology, coupled with the Aegis combat system, enhance the anti-air warfare capabilities of Ticonderoga class cruisers, providing precision accuracy across a wide range of altitudes. During its deployment to the Caribbean, the USS Gettysburg could leverage these capabilities in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland.”

Update 3:55 PM Eastern –

The military on the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, located less than 10 miles from the Venezuelan coast, has boosted its readiness status, a local newspaper reported.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF) has been placed on high alert, with all soldiers and Coast Guard officers ordered to report to their respective bases by this evening,” The Express newspaper reported. “A memo circulated to members yesterday stated that the TTDF has been moved to State One Alert Level—the highest level of operational readiness.”

The War Zone cannot independently confirm that claim.

Tensions between the two nations have soared over Trinidad and Tobago’s support for the U.S. That includes a recent visit by the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Gravely. A U.S. Navy official confirmed to us that the Gravely left that nation yesterday after a port call for joint military training.

It also appears that the MV Ocean Trader – a roll-on/roll-off cargo ship modified to carry special operators and their gear – has left Puerto Rico for an unknown destination. Navy officials and U.S. Special Operations Command have declined to comment on this vessel. The ship, which TWZ first reported on back in 2016, has been something of a ghost since entering service, popping up in hot spots around the globe.

The Ocean Trader has been spotted several times in various parts of the Caribbean in the past few weeks.

MV Ocean Trader, chartered by the Military Sealift Command for the U.S. Special Operations Command that supports Special Operations Forces as a mothership leaving Ponce, Puerto Rico – October 31, 2025 SRC: TW-@MichaelBonet8 pic.twitter.com/80HocPjWZL

— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) October 31, 2025

Update: 4:14 PM Eastern –

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the chorus of those pushing back on the Miami Herald‘s claim that a strike on Venezuela was imminent.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Oct. 28 (UPI) — The U.S. military has evacuated about 1,000 nonessential residents from the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay in anticipation of the powerful Hurricane Melissa advancing through the Caribbean Tuesday.

More than 1,000 non-essential military personnel, along with their families and pets flew to the Naval Air Station Pensacola in the days leading up to the hurricane’s arrival, USNI News reported.

To prepare for the influx of military personnel, Pensacola’s Fleet and Family Support Center opened its Emergency Family Assistance Center on Saturday to connect them with lodging, essential supplies and other resources, according to a Navy press statement. Moving the non-essential personnel to Pensacola will minimize operations during the hurricane and make recovery easier after it passes, according to the statement. .

“The sailors and civilian employees here are dedicated and adaptable, making sure they accomplish our Navy mission -and right now that’s taking care of our Navy family from Guantanamo Bay,” NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Chandra Newman said in the statement.

The remaining 3,000 residents of the base moved into temporary shelters in a community gym and a new K-12 school, The New York Times reported. Officials instructed residents to bring their own bedding along with coolers full of enough food and water to last three days, the paper reported.

Hurricane Melissa is the world’s strongest storm seen so far this year. It left at least seven people dead after it made landfall in Jamaica earlier on Tuesday.

Although the center of the storm has passed over Jamaica, the National Hurricane Center warned Tuesday evening of heavy rain “catastrophic flash flooding” and numerous landslides. Melissa is expected to move away from western Jamaica Tuesday evening, late moving to southeastern Cuba “as an extremely dangerous major hurricane,” according to the center.

Melissa is currently a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 145 mph.

Several Navy warships assigned to the Caribbean counter-narcotics mission have moved to avoid Hurricane Melissa, a U.S. Navy official told us. Now a massive Category 5 hurricane, Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica later today into tomorrow with likely devastating effects. Meanwhile, it appears that the U.S. Air Force is sending another flight of B-1B bombers toward the region amid an ongoing U.S. military buildup.

“Based on current weather information and forecast models, the Navy is continuing to make determinations regarding Hurricane Melissa,” the official told us. “The safety of our personnel and their families is our top priority.” The storm is on a northeasterly track heading away from the Caribbean.

Despite the ship movements, the hurricane is “not expected to impact operations in the Caribbean,” the Navy official told us, adding that many of the eight surface vessels assigned to the effort were already operating out of the storm’s path.

The U.S. naval presence in the region includes the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG)/22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), with more than 4,500 sailors and Marines on three ships: The Wasp class amphibious assault ship, the USS Iwo Jima, and the San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio. Also deployed in the region are three Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers;  USS Jason Dunham, USS Stockdale and USS Gravely, the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie and the Freedom class littoral combat ship USS Wichita.

While the Navy official would not comment about the specific locations of most of the vessels, they did acknowledge that the Gravely is docked in Trinidad and Tobago on a previously scheduled deployment. The destroyer arrived in Port of Spain to conduct joint military training exercises with the Caribbean nation, Fox News noted. It is expected to remain until Thursday, according to government officials from the two countries.

The exercises involving the Gravely seek to “address shared threats like transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian missions, and security efforts,” U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz said in a statement.

The deployment of the Gravely to Port of Spain comes as the U.S. is ratcheting up the pressure on the South American nation’s dictator, Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuelan officials, meanwhile, decried the deployment of the Gravely so close to its shores. Port of Spain is located less than 25 miles from the Venezuelan coast.

The conduct of military exercises in the waters of a neighboring country is “dangerous” and a “serious threat” to the Caribbean region, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said, adding that it is a “hostile provocation” toward the South American nation.

Though the U.S. buildup is ostensibly aimed at curtailing drug trafficking out of Venezuela, the Trump administration has made no secret that it is pressuring Maduro, indicted in the U.S. on drug charges with a $50 million reward on his head.

As we reported last week, in addition to its assets already in the region, the U.S. Navy’s supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford and at least a portion of the rest of its strike group have been ordered to Latin American waters. Strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats have now become routine, and the possibility that the campaign could extend to targets on land, particularly in Venezuela, continues to grow.

“In support of the President’s [Donald Trump] directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War [Pete Hegseth] has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR),” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on Friday. “The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere. These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs.”

In addition to U.S. Navy assets, the U.S. Air Force is also contributing to the counter-narcotics effort.

For the second time in less than a week, it appears that B-1 bombers are headed to the Caribbean. Online flight trackers report that two Lancers took off from Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. Shortly after 1:45 p.m., the Lancers were located south of Puerto Rico on a path toward Venezuela. 

HOGAN 11 flt (B-1B Bombers) wkg WASHINGTON CENTER on VHF joining up with GRIN 11 flt (KC-135) southbound toward the Caribbean and joining up with BROMO 21 (KC-46 & KC-135) out of MacDill AFB.

Audio via @liveatc and tracking via @ADSBex pic.twitter.com/N4rTIBI2oC

— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) October 27, 2025

We reached out to U.S. Global Strike Command for more information and they referred us to the Pentagon.

Regardless, as TWZ noted following B-52 sorties over the region two weeks ago, there is a well-established precedent for employing Air Force bombers in counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean. The range and targeting capabilities that the B-52 and the B-1 possess can be and have been employed to help spot and track suspected drug smuggling vessels. However, nothing we have seen so far indicates that these bombers are taking part in drug interdiction efforts and are more likely being sent toward Venezuela in a political message to Maduro.

Amid these military movements, a key supporter of Trump suggested that Maduro should flee the country.

“If I was Maduro, I’d head to Russia or China right now,” U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) told the CBS News program 60 Minutes on Sunday. “His days are numbered. Something’s gonna happen. Whether it’s internal or external, I think something’s gonna happen.”

It remains publicly unclear at the moment what, if any action, the U.S. will take against Maduro. The Ford and elements of its carrier strike group is not expected to arrive in the Caribbean for about two weeks. Regardless of the timing of the Ford‘s arrival, it does not appear that Hurricane Melissa, despite its ferocity, will be a factor in the Pentagon’s plans.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Oct. 24 (UPI) — Melissa was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane as it made its way toward Jamaica, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday.

It is expected to strengthen to a Category 5 storm, causing catastrophic conditions for Caribbean nations.

The hurricane became a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph while moving west at 5 mph and positioned about 110 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 285 miles south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, the National Hurricane Center reported in its 2 p.m. EDT update.

The storm had become a hurricane at 9 a.m. EDT on Saturday and was upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane by Saturday night.

It continues to gain strength and could cause life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in parts of Southern Hispaniola and Jamaica into early next week.

Currently, a hurricane warning is in effect for all of Jamaica.

Hurricane watch advisories are also in effect for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince and for the Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, and Holguin.

Accuweather Meteorologist Alex Duffus warned that entire communities could be cut off from aid and support for several days.

“Melissa’s slow movement over the mountainous islands greatly increases the risk of catastrophic flash flooding and deadly mudslides,” Duffus said. “This can quickly escalate into a humanitarian crisis, where a large number of people are in need of basic supplies such as food, safe drinking water, housing and medical care.”

A hurricane warning is in effect in Jamaica, while a hurricane watch is in effect for the southwestern tip of Haiti and the Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Holguin.

A turn to the north and northeast is forecast on Monday and Tuesday.

“This remains a very serious situation, in terms of catastrophic rainfall, wind, and storm surge hazards for Jamaica, and preparations should be rushed to completion in the area currently under a Hurricane Warning,” NHC forecaster Jack Beven said in a discussion.

On the forecast track, Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica through into early next week, and it could be near or over eastern Cuba by the middle of next week and then head northwest in the Atlantic farther from the United States.

“It must be noted that there is very little practical difference in the overall impacts of a Category 4 or 5 landfall, and Melissa is expected to be at least that intensity when it moves over Jamaica,” Beven wrote in a discussion.

“Melissa should weaken as it interacts with Jamaica and Cuba, although it is still forecast to be a major hurricane when it nears Cuba. A faster weakening should occur after passing Cuba when the cyclone encounters strong shear over the southwestern Atlantic,” he wrote.

This would be the strongest direct landfall for the island since tropical cyclone record-keeping has been kept in the Atlantic Basin.

Tropical-force winds stretch outward to 115 mph from the center.

Rainfall of 15 to 30 inches through Wednesday is forecast for portions of southern Hispaniola, which includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, with a local maximum of 40 inches, the NHC said.

Eastern Cuba is expected to receive rainfall of 6 to 12 inches, with local amounts up to 18 inches into Wednesday.

“Life-threatening storm surge is becoming more likely along the south coast of Jamaica later in the weekend or early next week,” the NHC said.

Peak storm surge heights could reach 9 to 13 feet above ground level, near and to the east of where the center of Melissa makes landfall and be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

There also is a potential for significant storm surge along the Cuban coast next week.

Melissa is the 13th named storm of the season, and it’s the first in the Caribbean.

This season has seen few storms, which have warmed the Caribbean Sea, and the warm water is potential fuel for stronger and more dangerous storms.

Oct. 24 (UPI) — The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is headed to the Caribbean Sea to escalate the nation’s military presence amid strikes on alleged drug-running vessels.

The carrier strike group currently is in the Mediterranean Sea and includes three destroyers, in addition to the aircraft carrier, NBC News reported.

“The enhanced U.S. force presence in the [Southern Command area] will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a social media post.

“These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle [transnational criminal organizations],” he added.

The strike group will take about a week to cross the Atlantic Ocean to reach the Caribbean for its new deployment, where it will nearly double the number of vessels already deployed there.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the strike group to the Caribbean, where the U.S. military conducted its first nighttime strike on a vessel allegedly running drugs, he announced on Friday.

“The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transitioning along a known narco-trafficking route and carrying narcotics,” Hegseth said in a post on X.

“Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters,” Hegseth said. “All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed.”

The nighttime strike was the third conducted this week, including one in the Pacific Ocean near Central America.

The strike also was the 10th conducted by the U.S. military against alleged drug runners, during which 43 reportedly have been killed while in international waters.

The United States has eight surface vessels, a submarine and about 6,000 sailors deployed in the Caribbean as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on drug running to the United States.

President Donald Trump previously notified Congress that the United States is engaged in conflict with drug cartels that send fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and other potentially deadly and illicit drugs to the nation.

The president also has designated several transnational gangs as terrorist organizations, including the Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua.

Trump also has authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela, where it is gathering intelligence on what the administration says is planned drug-smuggling to the United States.

The president is considering allowing strikes inside Venezuela to weaken President Nicolas Maduro‘s administration.

Trump has accused Maduro of profiting from Venezuelan drug smuggling to the United States and flooding the nation with deadly fentanyl and other narcotics.

The Trump administration recently raised to $50 million its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

MEXICO CITY — The United States slapped sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Friday and said it was sending a massive aircraft carrier to the waters off South America, a new escalation of what the White House has described as a war against drug traffickers in the region. Also Friday, the U.S. military conducted its 10th strike on a suspected drug-running boat, killing six people in the Caribbean Sea.

The Treasury Department said it was sanctioning Petro, his wife, his son and a political associate for failing to stop the flow of cocaine to the United States, noting that cocaine production in Colombia has risen in recent years. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Petro of “poisoning Americans.”

Petro denied those claims in a statement on X, saying he has fought to combat drug trafficking for decades. He said it was “quite a paradox” to be sanctioned by a country with high rates of cocaine consumption.

The sanctions put Petro in the same category as the leaders of Russia and North Korea and limit his ability to travel to the United States. They mark a new low for relations between Colombia and the United States, which until recently were strong allies, sharing military intelligence, a robust trade relationship and a multibillion-dollar fight against drug trafficking.

Elizabeth Dickinson, a senior analyst for the Andes region at the International Crisis Group, a think tank, said that while Petro and the U.S. government have had disagreements over how to tackle trafficking — with the Americans more interested in eradicating coca fields and Colombians focused on cocaine seizures — the two countries have been working for decades toward the same goal.

“To suggest that Colombia is not trying is false and disingenuous,” Dickinson said. “If the U.S. has a partner in counternarcotics in Latin America, it’s Colombia. Colombian forces have been working hand in hand with the Americans for literally four decades. They are the best, most capable and frankly most willing partner the U.S. has in the region.

“If the U.S. were to cut this relationship, it would really be the U.S. shooting themselves in the foot.”

Many viewed the sanctions as punishment for Petro’s criticism of Trump. In recent days, Petro has accused the U.S. of murder, saying American strikes on alleged drug boats lack legal justification and have killed civilians. He has also accused the U.S. of building up its military in South America in an attempt to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The quickened pace of U.S. airstrikes in the region and the unusually large buildup of military force in the Caribbean Sea have fueled those speculations.

On Friday, a Pentagon official said the U.S. ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to deploy to U.S. Southern Command to “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States.”

The USS Ford is currently deployed to the Mediterranean Sea along with three destroyers. It would probably take several days for the ships to make the journey to South America.

The White House has increasingly drawn a direct comparison between the war on terrorism that the U.S. declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Trump administration’s crackdown on drug traffickers.

Trump this month declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and said the U.S. was in an “armed conflict” with them, relying on the same legal authority used by the Bush administration after 9/11.

When reporters asked Trump on Thursday whether he would request that Congress issue a declaration of war against the cartels, he said that wasn’t the plan.

“I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We’re going to kill them, you know? They’re going to be like, dead,” Trump said during a roundtable at the White House with Homeland Security officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S. Navy’s supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford and at least a portion of the rest of its strike group have been ordered to Latin American waters. This represents a new and especially significant deployment of U.S. forces into the Western Hemisphere amid a steady escalation in the scale and scope of ostensible counter-narcotics operations. Strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats have now become routine, and the possibility that the campaign could extend to targets on land, particularly in Venezuela, continues to grow.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s top spokesperson, made the unexpected announcement about Ford, which is currently on a scheduled deployment in the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea on a scheduled deployment.

“In support of the President’s [Donald Trump] directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War [Pete Hegseth] has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR),” Parnell said in a statement. “The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere. These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs.”

Ford, the Navy’s newest carrier, currently has a full air wing embarked, which includes F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning and control planes, C-2A Greyhound Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft, and MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopters. The rest of its strike group includes four Arleigh Burke class destroyers – USS Winston S. Churchill, USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Forrest Sherman – and likely at least one attack submarine.

USNI News has reported that it is currently unclear which of Ford’s escorts may accompany it to the SOUTHCOM AOR, citing an unnamed source. The outlet noted that, at least as of Monday, the USS Forrest Sherman and USS Mitscher were operating independently in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, respectively

It is likely to take Ford at least a week to get back across the Mediterranean and then the Atlantic Ocean. Where exactly within the SOUTHCOM AOR the carrier and elements of its strike group might take up station remains to be seen.

Regardless, just pulling Ford from a scheduled deployment is a major development and follows an already substantial build-up of U.S. naval, air, and other assets in and around the Caribbean. As of last week, approximately 10,000 U.S. personnel, in total, were forward deployed in the region. Fox News has reported that the Navy is now set to see roughly 14 percent of its combat fleets operating within SOUTHCOM’s AOR.

🚨 Today, the U.S. announced its 7th strike in SOUTHCOM, destroying a boat affiliated with a Colombian cartel. The U.S. has massed 10,000+ troops in the region, with most in Puerto Rico and on 12 U.S. Navy ships. Also:

– USAF B-52H bombers + USMC F-35B fighters conducted a… pic.twitter.com/PyYyZlWSxC

— Ian Ellis (@ianellisjones) October 19, 2025

The Navy’s aircraft carrier strike groups, in general, are at the very top of the U.S. military’s power-projection assets, offering immense capability to exercise control over surrounding sea and airspace, as well as to launch strikes on targets on the water and ashore hundreds of miles away in any direction. They also provide huge floating bases that can be utilized in other ways, including as launch points for major special operations forces missions.

Even if only a portion of the Ford Carrier Strike Group ultimately deploys to the SOUTHCOM AOR, it would still represent a major boost in capabilities and operational capacity in the theater. There are already multiple Arleigh Burke class destroyers, as well as a Ticonderoga class cruiser, in the region that could also join with Ford and its escorts, including to help provide protection for the carrier. The overall threat picture is not high, though one still does exist. It is worth noting that carrier strike groups also train heavily before deployments to be a deeply integrated, singular fighting force, something that would not exist with warships already in the Caribbean. Still, this combination of naval forces would likely be more than enough to suffice in this scenario.

Altogether, Ford‘s impending arrival can only signal a new and substantial escalation in U.S. operations in the region. As noted, American forces are now regularly striking small boats alleged to be involved in drug smuggling. Just earlier today, Secretary of War Hegseth announced the ninth such strike known to have occured since the start of September. To date, seven of the strikes have targeted boats in the Caribbean, while two more have occured in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea.

The vessel was known by our… pic.twitter.com/lVlw0FLBv4

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 24, 2025

All of this also comes amid U.S. government efforts to put particular pressure on Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro. Just yesterday, Air Force B-1 bombers conducted a show of force close to Venezuela’s coast. Last week, Air Force B-52 bombers, accompanied by U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Joint Strike Fighters, conducted a similar mission that officials later described as a “bomber attack demonstration.”

There has been a steady drumbeat of reports in recent weeks pointing to the growing possibility of direct action of some kind against Maduro’s regime. President Trump said on Wednesday that his administration was moving to target drug cartels on land, though he did not elaborate on what that might entail or where such operations might occur. He also confirmed last week that he had authorized the CIA to engage in covert operations against the Venezuelan government. Maduro has been under indictment in the United States since 2020 for drug trafficking and other charges, and American authorities currently have a $50 million bounty out for his capture.

While it will take some time for the elements of the Ford Carrier Strike Group to arrive in Latin American waters, that they are on their way already signals U.S. operations in the region are entering a new phase.

Contact the author: [email protected]

WHEN it comes to a real-life paradise, the closest you’ll probably get to it is the Caribbean.

And there’s one destination that’s seeing more tourists than ever which is developing new hotels so visitors can enjoy the hot weather and beautiful beaches.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is the fastest-growing tourism destination in the Caribbean with 17.3 percent more visitors in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

Jamaica and Barbados are the Caribbean islands most visited by Brits – but St Vincent and the Grenadines has the potential to be your next holiday spot.

You can get there by flying to Argyle International Airport on St Vincent – and then, from there you can explore the 32 islands and cays.

The country’s capital is Kingstown in St Vincent, where visitors explore historical sites like Fort Charlotte and the Gothic cathedrals.

YULE DO

Travel expert reveals cheap UK holiday parks with Xmas breaks from £9pp a night

SNOW WAY

All the best Xmas days out under £10 including FREE ice skating & Santa’s grotto

The capital has Botanical Gardens, waterfalls, and plenty of opportunities to try out water activities like boat tours, snorkelling, and diving.

The waters have plenty of marine life like whales, dolphins, green sea turtles and lots of reef fish.

Of course being an island, St Vincent has some incredible beaches from Indian Bay, Villa Beach and Mt. Wynne Beach – which has volcanic black sand.

St Vincent is home to the country’s largest volcano called La Soufrière.

It’s active too, with the last explosive events happening in 2021.

The island has rainforests as well and visitors can hike through the Vermont Nature Trail and the Cumberland Forest Reserve.

The island country is a great for fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise which was filmed across its beaches and rainforest.

It was even rumoured that St Vincent would open a theme park to honour the films.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the best spots for winter sun, as throughout the whole year the temperature averages between 24-27C.

The rainy season runs from June through November, with the wettest months typically being October and November.

The island country consists of eight other inhabited islands; Young Island, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Union Island, Mayreau, Petit St Vincent and Palm Island.

To get to the other most popular islands, visitors can use ferries or take regional flights.

Here you’ll find white-sand beaches and plenty more swimming spots in the bright blue Caribbean sea.

To accommodate the increasing number of visitors in St Vincent and the Grenadines, there are four new projects across the islands and all are set to open by 2027.

The first is called Peter’s Hope Resort Development Project, which is a 280-room beachfront Marriott Autograph Collection hotel.

Another is the Beaches St. Vincent and the Grenadines which will be a 360-room resort focusing on families that will be built at Mt. Wynne.

The Palm Island Development is a new project with phase one scheduled to open in December 2026.

And the Cumberland Bay Resort Development Project will be a 150-room beachfront resort set to have pretty overwater bungalows, cottages, a hotel and small marina. 

Virgin Atlantic connects St. Vincent with a stopover at the neighbouring island of Barbados taking around 11 hours.

You can fly from London Heathrow to St Vincent with return fares from £574.92.

STRICTLY NEWBIES

All the stars in line to replace Tess and Claudia on Strictly

TUM HELP

The 30g diet hack that ‘PREVENTS deadly bowel cancer’… as cases surge in under-50s

This island in St Vincent and the Grenadines is known as ‘turtle island’…

CANOUAN sits between St Vincent and Grenada, and it’s one of the smallest measuring at three square miles and has a population of around 2,000.

Known for its abundance of turtles, tortoises and beautiful beaches, the little-known island doesn’t get many tourists, which means it’s a hotspot for celebs.

Thanks to it being lesser-known, the island of Canouan has been known to be a popular Caribbean spot for celebrities.

Due to its privacy, the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr., and Cindy Crawford have all been seen there.

Another reason for its popularity amongst the famous is the amount of luxury resorts there – and the fact that they all allow use of the ‘invisible key’, which means you can use facilities across all of them.

The island is known for being peaceful and quiet, but is rising in popularity amongst travellers.

It has a nickname too, Canouan is sometimes referred to as ‘Turtle Island’.

As you might have guessed this is because the island is a natural sanctuary for green sea turtles which swim off the coast.

During the months of May and October, the turtles hatch along the beach, so if you stick around until dawn, you might spot tiny hatchlings make their way from the sand to the sea.

Here’s another Caribbean island that only a few thousand Brits visit is getting a new airport – with UK flights.

Plus, Caribbean’s safest island is ‘back on map’ as 2025 holiday spot – thanks to stunning beaches and region’s longest pool.

The storm could grow into a hurricane by Friday and a major one by the late weekend.

Tropical Storm Melissa is threatening the Caribbean Sea islands with dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding, as officials urge residents of flood-prone areas to seek higher ground and shelter.

Jamaica’s eastern region could see up to 12 inches (300mm) of rain. “Now that is significant rainfall, and that is the main thing that we should be mindful of at this time,” Evan Thompson, director of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service, said.

Similar rainfall amounts were expected for southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic through Saturday, with even more rain possible locally, depending on Melissa’s path later in the week.

Heavy rain was also forecast for western Jamaica, southern Hispaniola, Aruba and Puerto Rico.

Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 50mph (85km/h) and was moving west at 2mph (4km/h) late on Wednesday night, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The slow-moving storm was centred about 335 miles (535km) south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and some 295 miles (475km) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.

The NHC said the storm could strengthen gradually in the coming days and grow into a hurricane by Friday and a major hurricane by the late weekend.

Heavy rains in the Dominican Republic have already disrupted traffic and led to the cancellation of sports events.

Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the first named storm to form in the Caribbean this year.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season – which runs from June 1 to November 30 – with 13 to 18 named storms.

Of those, five to nine were forecast to become hurricanes, including two to five major hurricanes, which pack winds of 111mph or greater.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has built up an unusually large force in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off the coast of Venezuela since this summer, when the Trump administration first began to shift assets to the region as part of its so-called war against narcoterrorism.

Here is a look at the ships, planes and troops in the region:

Ships

The Navy has eight warships in the region — three destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, a cruiser and a smaller littoral combat ship that’s designed for coastal waters.

The three amphibious assault ships make up an amphibious readiness group and carry an expeditionary unit of Marines. As a result, those ships also have on board a variety of Marine helicopters, Osprey tilt rotor aircraft and Harrier jets that have the capability of either transporting large numbers of Marines or striking targets on land and sea.

While officials have not offered specific numbers, destroyers and cruisers typically deploy with a missile loadout that contains Tomahawk cruise missiles — a missile that can strike hundreds of miles from its launch point.

A U.S. Navy submarine, the USS Newport News, also is operating in the broader area of South America and is capable of carrying and launching cruise missiles.

Planes and drones

A squadron of advanced U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II jets have been sent to an airstrip in Puerto Rico. The planes were first spotted landing on the island territory in mid-September.

MQ-9 Reaper Air Force drones, capable of flying long distances and carrying up to eight laser-guided missiles, also have been spotted operating out of Puerto Rico by commercial satellites and military watchers, as well as photojournalists, around the same time.

It has been widely reported that the Navy is operating P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft out of the region as well.

Earlier this month, the military released a photo of an U.S. Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider, a heavily armed plane capable of firing its large guns with precision onto ground targets, also sitting on the tarmac in Puerto Rico.

There have been a multitude of other military aircraft that have temporarily flown through the region as part of military operations there.

For example, the U.S. Air Force flew a group of B-52 Stratofortress bombers through the region last week for what the Pentagon dubbed as a “bomber attack demo” in photos online.

Troops

All told, there are more than 6,000 sailors and Marines that are now operating in the region based on the ships that have been confirmed by defense officials.

The Pentagon has not offered specific numbers on how many drones, aircraft or ground crew are in the region so their impact on that broader figure is unknown.

Toropin writes for the Associated Press.

Oct. 21 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Melissa has begun churning in the Caribbean and is moving toward Haiti, to possibly become a hurricane.

In its 2 p.m. EDT update, the National Hurricane Center said Melissa was about 300 miles south of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving west at 14 mph.

A hurricane watch is in effect for the southern coast of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince, and for Jamaica. Those elsewhere in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba should monitor the progress of Melissa, the NHC said.

A decrease in speed and a gradual turn to the northwest and north is expected in the next few days, the NHC said. Melissa is expected to approach southwestern Haiti and Jamaica later this week, bringing heavy rains.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic can expect 5 to 10 inches through Friday, NHC said. More heavy rainfall is possible after Friday, but forecasters aren’t confident of predictions because of the uncertainty of Melissa’s speed and direction. Areas of significant flash flooding and mudslides are possible.

Over Aruba, Puerto Rico and Jamaica rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is expected through Friday. Flash and urban flooding will be possible across Puerto Rico through at least Friday.

Melissa is the 13th named storm of the season, and it’s the first in the Caribbean. This season has seen few storms, which has warmed the Caribbean Sea. Now, the warm water is fuel for stronger, more dangerous storms.

WASHINGTON — The United States took survivors into custody after its military struck a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean — the first attack that anyone escaped alive since President Trump began launching assaults in the region last month, a defense official and another person familiar with the matter said Friday.

The strike Thursday brought the death toll from the Trump administration’s military action against vessels in the region to at least 28.

It is believed to be at least the sixth strike in the waters off Venezuela since early September, and the first to result in survivors who were picked up by the U.S. military. It was not immediately clear what would be done with the survivors, who the people said were being held on a U.S. Navy vessel.

They confirmed the strike on condition of anonymity because it had not yet been publicly acknowledged by Trump’s administration.

Trump has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, relying on the same legal authority used by President George W. Bush‘s administration when it declared a war on terror after the 9/11 attacks. That includes the ability to capture and detain combatants and to use lethal force against their leadership.

Some legal experts have questioned the legality of the approach. The president’s use of overwhelming military force to combat the cartels, along with his authorization of covert action inside Venezuela, possibly to oust President Nicolás Maduro, stretches the bounds of international law, legal scholars said this week.

Meanwhile, the Navy admiral who oversees military operations in the region will retire in December, he and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday.

Adm. Alvin Holsey became the leader of U.S. Southern Command only in November, overseeing an area that encompasses the Caribbean Sea and waters off South America. These types of postings typically last between three and four years.

Holsey said in a statement posted on the command’s Facebook page that it had “been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend our Constitution for over 37 years.”

“The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so,” he said. “I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe.”

U.S. Southern Command did not provide any further information beyond the admiral’s statement.

For the survivors of Thursday’s strike, the saga is hardly over. They now face an unclear future and legal landscape, including questions about whether they are now considered to be prisoners of war or defendants in a criminal case. The White House did not comment on the strike.

Reuters was first to report news of the strike late Thursday.

The strikes in the Caribbean have caused unease among both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, with some Republicans saying they have not received sufficient information on how the strikes are being conducted. A classified briefing for members of the Senate Armed Services Committee this month did not include representatives from intelligence agencies or the military command structure for South and Central America.

However, most Senate Republicans stood behind the administration last week when a vote on a War Powers Resolution was brought up, which would have required the administration to gain approval from Congress before conducting more strikes.

Their willingness to back the administration will be tested again. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, along with Sens. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, and Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, is bringing another resolution that would prevent Trump from outright attacking Venezuela without congressional authorization.

Toropin and Mascaro write for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — The United States struck another small boat accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela, killing six people, President Trump said on Tuesday.

Those who died in the strike were aboard the vessel, and no U.S. forces were harmed, Trump said in a social media post. It’s the fifth deadly strike in the Caribbean as Trump’s administration has asserted it’s treating alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who must be met with military force.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the strike Tuesday morning, said Trump, who released a video of it, as he had in the past. Hegseth later shared the video in a post on X.

Trump said the strike was conducted in international waters and “Intelligence” confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with “narcoterrorist networks” and was on a known drug trafficking route.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to an email from the Associated Press seeking more information on the latest boat strike.

Frustration with the Trump administration has been growing on Capitol Hill among members of both major political parties. Some Republicans are seeking more information from the White House on the legal justification and details of the strikes. Democrats contend the strikes violate U.S. and international law.

The Senate last week voted on a war powers resolution that would have barred the Trump administration from conducting the strikes unless Congress specifically authorized them, but it failed to pass.

In a memo to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press, the Trump administration said it had “determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations” and that Trump directed the Pentagon to “conduct operations against them pursuant to the law of armed conflict.”

The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that the boats targeted by the U.S. military in a series of fatal strikes were in fact carrying narcotics, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The strikes followed a buildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean unlike any seen in recent times.

Last week, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino told military leaders that the U.S. government knows the drug-trafficking accusations used to support the recent actions in the Caribbean are false, with its true intent being to “force a regime change” in the South American country.

He added that the Venezuelan government does not see the deployment of the U.S. warships as a mere “propaganda-like action” and warned of a possible escalation.

“I want to warn the population: We have to prepare ourselves because the irrationality with which the U.S. empire operates is not normal,” Padrino said during the televised gathering. “It’s anti-political, anti-human, warmongering, rude, and vulgar.”

Price and Toropin write for the Associated Press. AP writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — President Trump has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and says the United States is now in a “non-international armed conflict,” according to a Trump administration memo obtained by the Associated Press on Thursday, following recent U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean.

Congress was notified about the designation by Pentagon officials on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The memo, startling in scope, signals a potential new moment not just in the Trump administration’s willingness to reach beyond the norms of presidential authority to wage war but in Trump’s stated “America First” agenda. It also raises stark questions about how far the White House intends to use its war powers and if Congress will exert its authority to approve — or ban — such military actions.

The move comes after the U.S. military last month carried out three deadly strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. At least two of those operations were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela.

Those strikes followed up a buildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean.

“Although friendly foreign nations have made significant efforts to combat these organizations, suffering significant losses of life, these groups are now transnational and conduct ongoing attacks throughout the Western Hemisphere as organized cartels,” according to the memo, which refers to cartel members as “unlawful combatants.” “Therefore, the President determined these cartels are non-state armed groups, designated them as terrorist organizations, and determined that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States.”

Pentagon officials could not provide a list of the designated terrorist organizations at the center of the conflict, a matter that was a major source of frustration for some of the lawmakers who were briefed, according to the person.

Lawmakers have been pressing Trump to go to Congress and seek war powers authority for such operations.

The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. Multiple defense officials reached Thursday appeared to be caught off guard by the determination and would not immediately comment or explain what the president’s action could mean for the Pentagon or military operations going forward.

What the Trump administration laid out at the closed-door classified briefing was perceived by several senators as pursuing a new legal framework that raised questions particularly regarding the role of Congress in authorizing any such action, the person familiar with the matter said.

As the Republican administration takes aim at vessels in the Caribbean, senators and lawmakers of both major political parties have raised stark objections. Some had previously called on Congress to exert its authority under the War Powers Act that would prohibit the administration’s strikes unless they were authorized by Congress.

The first military strike, carried out on Sept. 2 on what the Trump administration said was a drug-carrying speedboat, killed 11 people. Trump claimed the boat was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, which was listed by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.

The Trump administration had previously justified the military action as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.

But several senators, Democrats and some Republicans, as well as human rights groups questioned the legality of Trump’s action. They called it potential overreach of executive authority in part because the military was used for law enforcement purposes.

By claiming his campaign against drug cartels is an active armed conflict, Trump appears to be claiming extraordinary wartime powers to justify his action.

Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committees, said the drug cartels are “despicable and must be dealt with by law enforcement.”

“The Trump Administration has offered no credible legal justification, evidence, or intelligence for these strikes,” said Reed, a former Army officer who served in the 82nd Airborne Division.

The Trump administration has yet to explain how the military assessed the boats’ cargo and determined the passengers’ alleged gang affiliation before the strikes.

Madhani and Mascaro write for the Associated Press. AP writer Konstatin Toropin contributed reporting.

Sept. 30 (UPI) — Forecasters early Wednesday were warning of dangerous surf and “life-threatening” rip currents at beaches of the northern Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda and much of the U.S. East Coast as Hurricane Humberto continued its way north across the Atlantic.

With maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, Humberto remained a Category 1 hurricane as of 5 a.m. AST Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said in its morning update.

The storm was located about 280 miles north-northwest of Bermuda and was moving northeast at 14 mph, the NHC said.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, though forecasters continued to warn that its swells could persist for the next few days.

It is expected to move faster toward the east-northeast over Wednesday and remain “a powerful cyclone” until Humberto merges with a developing frontal boundary Wednesday night.

Humberto is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic season and became the season’s third hurricane on Friday morning.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ
from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to
get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources,
and more. Learn More

Sept. 25 (UPI) — Breeze Airlines will begin offering international flights to the Caribbean, which makes it the first U.S. airline in over 10 years to get Federal Aviation Administration approval for overseas trips.

The startup has been in business for five years and will begin trips to sunny destinations beginning in January. The flights will be to Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The international flights will leave from Norfolk, Va.; Charleston, S.C.; New Orleans, La.; Providence, R.I.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Tampa, Fla., and they will only be on Saturdays.

Breeze was founded by David Neeleman, JetBlue founder, in 2021. The airline now serves 81 cities, with 291 non-stop routes.

“We picked places that have all-inclusive resorts because people like to go on Saturday and fly back (the following) Saturday. It’s a good complement to what we’re doing already,” Neeleman told USA Today. He said the airline has peak traffic on its other routes on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. That leaves spare capacity to fly to resort destinations on Saturdays.

Neeleman said Breeze service will be the same for international fliers.

“We’re excited to be able to fly people out of the country,” he said. “You can expect the same great service and the same great airplanes on international, and I think it’s going to be a big hit with our guests.”

The airline also announced it has been certified by the FAA as a U.S. Flag Carrier. That means Breeze can take cargo and passengers whose travel is funded by the federal government.

“Becoming a U.S. flag carrier is a huge milestone for Breeze, and one that our team members have been working tirelessly on for the last three years,” Neeleman said.

The F-35B stealth fighters that landed in Puerto Rico on Saturday joined a growing U.S. military presence at the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. Though the Navy disposed of this sprawling facility more than two decades ago, it is now a major staging area for the Trump administration’s battle against narco traffickers and pressure campaign against Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. These counter-drug activities have some asking whether Roosevelt Roads, once considered surplus by the U.S. Navy, should be permanently reopened as a military installation.

Before the F-35s arrived, cargo aircraft like the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III were seen at the facility, now known as José Aponte de la Torre Airport. There were also U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and USMC CH-53K King Stallion helicopters present. The Marine aircraft are part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which began a training exercise on Puerto Rico on August 31.

In addition to the aircraft, images showed U.S. Air Force personnel restoring the airport communications control tower, while others loaded and unloaded cargo and prepared for future operations.

Analysis of Reuters photographs indicates extensive activity at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, which officially closed in 2004.

The images show heavy transport traffic and rapid efforts to restore key infrastructure to operational status.

It… pic.twitter.com/hBd5jBFZU7

— GMI (@Global_Mil_Info) September 14, 2025

Though images emerging on social media showed MQ-9 Reaper drones at Rafael Hernández Airport on the other side of the island, open-source flight tracking data points to at least one possibly operating out of Roosevelt Roads. It is believed that a Reaper was used to destroy what Trump said was a cartel drug boat with 11 people and a load of narcotics.

All this activity is taking place as the U.S. is once again turning to Roosevelt Roads, which had provided support for America’s invasions of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Grenada and Panama in decades past. While there are other facilities on the island also taking part, Roosevelt Roads has become a nexus of activity for this effort.

The 8,650-acre facility, located in the easternmost point of Puerto Rico’s main island in the town of Cieba, was opened in 1943. Its centerpiece is an 11,000-foot runway capable of supporting the U.S. military’s inventory of aircraft.

Roosevelt Roads also has a deep-water port enabling the Navy’s surface and subsurface vessels to dock.

The concept of a military facility on the eastern part of Puerto Rico began in 1919, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then Assistant Navy Secretary, conducted a surveying trip to the area. The future president saw the location as a strategic asset in the Caribbean. But Roosevelt’s vision would not become a reality for another three decades.

The base was first built during World War II and named for Roosevelt, who came up with the concept. The initial plan was that it would become the keystone of U.S. defenses in the Caribbean, “with a well-protected anchorage, a major air station and an industrial establishment capable of supporting 60 percent of the Atlantic Fleet under wartime conditions,” according to GlobalSecurity.org. “There were even rumors that if the British Empire ever fell to Axis powers, Roosevelt Roads would become the new operating base for the British Fleet.”

However, with the U.S. military’s efforts focused on Europe and the Pacific, the Navy put expansion plans for the base on hold. In 1957, during the height of the Cold War, Roosevelt Roads was redesignated as a Naval Station. With the Soviet Union-aligned Cuba perceived as a growing threat, the facility’s footprint on the island began to grow. Its port facilities made the base a major support facility for the Sixth Fleet.

After two terrorist attacks on the island damaged equipment at another location, the Naval Communications Station Puerto Rico was relocated to a new, state-of-the-art communications facility at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads because it was considered far more secure.

The station “would eventually become one of the largest naval facilities in the world, encompassing more than 100 miles of paved interior roads,” according to the Navy. However, in the early 2000s, its future grew cloudy.

The facility’s main mission was serving as a coordinating facility and mission staging point for the U.S. Navy’s bombing range on the island municipality of Vieques, about 10 miles to the southeast. The bombardments were carried out for six decades and generated massive protests over civilian deaths and environmental destruction.

The base was also home to Fleet Composite Squadron Eight (VC-8), the Navy’s last operator of the A-4 Skyhawk. The unit began operations there in 1965 and became the last Navy squadron based at Roosevelt Roads. The unit provided training assistance through acting as aggressors and towing targets, among other roles, for units visiting the Caribbean outpost. The Navy’s maritime patrol operations were also a major presence at the base.

The Navy finally ended the bombing in 2003. With the Vieques bombing range closed, the Navy also decided it no longer needed Roosevelt Roads or its units there. It was proposed to be closed under the Base Realignment & Closure (BRAC) process used to dispose of unwanted U.S. military installations. By that time, just two years after 9/11, the U.S. had rapidly shifted its focus to the global war on terror.

Without Vieques, Roosevelt Roads was considered obsolete,” Federico de Jesus, a former director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, told us.

As part of the Navy’s turnover of Roosevelt Roads to Puerto Rico, it transferred thousands of housing units, schools, utilities and a world-class hospital that were on the facility. The closure was welcomed by many in Puerto Rico who were opposed to the militarization of the island. However, that move also raised concerns about the loss of a huge economic driver.

After the base was shuttered, various parts of it were turned over to different Puerto Rican government organizations. Given its location, there have been efforts over the years to develop parts of Roosevelt Roads; however, those plans remain in flux.

Despite the closure, the U.S. continued to use the installation for contingencies and relief efforts, like the November 2017 missions to provide much-needed aid in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island.

The U.S. Navy began reusing Roosevelt Roads at a much larger scale on Aug. 31 to support training operations by the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG)/22nd MEU. Operations at the base have since expanded.

Despite the facility’s ability to support the Trump administration’s current efforts, the Navy has no plans to permanently use Roosevelt Roads, a U.S. defense official told The War Zone.

However, there is an effort in Puerto Rico to re-establish the facility as a working military installation. 

Two weeks ago, New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico Sens. Nitza Morán Trinidad and Carmelo Ríos Santiago “introduced Senate Resolution 286, which calls for an investigation into the current state of the former Roosevelt Roads naval base in Ceiba,” the San Juan Daily Star reported last week. “The measure aims to evaluate the feasibility and impact of potentially repurposing Roosevelt Roads for national security by the Army.”

“For decades, Roosevelt Roads represented an economic engine for the eastern region of the island,” Morán Trinidad said, according to the publication. “Today, we have a responsibility to seriously and strategically consider the possibility of its facilities once again playing a key role — not only in the defense of the Caribbean and the Americas but also in the economic revitalization of Ceiba and the surrounding municipalities.”

The future of that effort, however, remains unclear.

With the Trump administration giving no timeline for its Caribbean operation, it looks like Roosevelt Roads will continue to be a very active facility for the U.S. military in the short term. However, given the administration’s focus on Central and South America, it’s quite possible that larger plans for the installation could materialize. Regardless, at least for now, Roosevelt Roads has woken up from its long slumber.

Contact the author: [email protected]

With the current growing tensions between Venezuela and the United States, it’s worth recalling a little-known aerial mission that the U.S. military launched to interdict narcotics coming out of Central and South America back in the 1990s. Most notably, the announcement earlier this week that 10 F-35s will deploy to Puerto Rico startled some, but it is actually far from unprecedented. In fact, something similar was happening for years, decades ago. This was Coronet Nighthawk, which employed U.S. Air Force fighters to patrol against suspected drug traffickers.

Starting with the current situation, the deployment of F-35s has been taken by some as evidence that the United States is planning to go to war directly with Venezuela. However, as we have previously pointed out, these stealth jets could also be used for a range of other relevant tasks. In particular, their advanced sensors make them ideal intelligence-gathering platforms. You can read more about that here.

We are still waiting to hear more about the F-35 deployment. Currently, it remains unclear where they will come from, when they arrive, and what they will do once they get there.

However, the deployment does have some parallels with Coronet Nighthawk, a counterdrug operation that began in the early 1990s and employed fighter aircraft to patrol the skies of Central America and the Caribbean and detect suspected drug-running aircraft. This was at a time of huge concern around drug trafficking and smuggling into the United States, which had begun to peak during the era of the Reagan administration in the mid-1980s.

The main facility for Coronet Nighthawk was Howard Air Force Base in Panama, although assets would eventually also be rotated into other airfields in the Caribbean and Central America.

This mission was initially undertaken by Air Combat Command before transitioning from the active-duty component to the Air National Guard. Fighters were on 24/7 alert to intercept possible drug-trafficking aircraft and to provide overwatch to dissuade such flights. On receiving coordinates of a suspect flight, fighters were expected to scramble within 15 minutes and would then go and investigate them.

F-15s and F-16s were involved, with an example of the former pictured at the top of this story. Dated 1993, the original caption describes it as an F-15 sent to identify an aircraft that was possibly hauling drugs as detected by the Southern Regional Operations Center.

A Washington Post article from 2000, detailing the 113th Wing’s activities in Curaçao provides an idea of how the mission worked:

“The fast, agile F-16s would quickly intercept the suspect planes in international airspace as they flew over open water. The aircraft would be identified and tracked along their route and then followed again after making suspected deliveries. Information on the planes’ actions and location would be passed on to law enforcement agencies and local civil authorities for possible arrests and seizures.”

It appears the U.S. Air Force fighters flew their missions unarmed, serving as the ‘eyes in the sky’ to locate suspect aircraft as well as to dissuade them from being in the airspace in the first instance.

However, intercepting ‘slow-movers’ was and remains a challenge for a jet fighter.

“The drug runners aren’t running at high noon,” Col. Mike Redman, the 113th Wing vice commander, told the Washington Post. “They’re doing it very early in the morning, and they’re flying low over the water.” Typically, the drug-runners would try and fly at low speed, just below the clouds.

The Coronet Nighthawk mission was wound up in 2001, due to the implementation of the Panama Canal Treaty, which handed the canal back to the Panamanian government at the end of December 1999, together with U.S. military bases in the country. (In 2002, the Coronet Nighthawk name would be resurrected for the deployment to Europe of Air Force F-117 stealth fighters).

Clearly, however, the mission had been successful in terms of its original remit.

As of the early 1990s, 75 percent of the drugs in the region were assessed to be transported by air, according to an official history from the 142nd Wing, one of the units that provided fighter jets. By the time the mission ended, the percentage of drugs transported in the region by air had been reduced to 25 percent, as the drug traffickers changed their approach accordingly.

According to one publicly available account, between September 1994 and the end of the decade, Coronet Nighthawk fighters were credited with ensuring the disruption or seizure of over 33,000 metric tons of cocaine.

“We didn’t go over there expecting to completely stop the flow of cocaine coming into the country,” Maj. Conal J. Brady III, a 199th Fighter Squadron F-15 pilot, said in one contemporary account. “But we did make a dent in it and made it a lot harder for the drug runners.”

As far as the 142nd Wing and its F-15s were concerned, they made six deployments to Panama for Coronet Nighthawk, first in 1992, twice in 1993, again in 1994, over the New Year 1995–96, and lastly in 1999. A typical deployment involved five F-15s and around 50 airmen, with personnel rotating every two weeks.

“It’s a real-world mission, but at least the weather’s nice and you’re working under the palm trees near white sand beaches,” Redman explained to the Washington Post.

It should be recalled that, during the same timeframe, an overseas F-16 assignment might otherwise take airmen to a desert base in the Middle East, to fly long-duration ‘no-fly’ zone missions over Iraq.

The current F-35 deployment is a fairly clear indication that the situation in the region is currently heating up.

Back in the 1990s, most of the narcotics traffic was underway in the air. The pulse-Doppler lookdown radars on the F-15s and F-16s were key to finding aerial targets, which were mainly active at night.

Now, most of the drugs in the region are moved on the surface of the water. Modern fighters have even more powerful radars paired with electro-optical systems that can detect and investigate targets on the surface and do so very quickly. With the U.S. military now also engaging suspected drug traffickers at sea, fighters would also be able to attack those targets themselves. The air threat from Venezuela is also not nonexistent. While the token fleet of aging F-16s is not a huge concern, Venezuela does have 21 more potent Su-30MK2V Flanker multirole fighters.

For the time being, at least, it seems that the favored option for counter-narcotics missions involves the MQ-9 Reaper drone, at least two of which have recently been noted in Puerto Rico. Although these are among a number of different aircraft now involved, MQ-9s can carry a variety of missiles as well as sensors for surveillance and can loiter for more than 24 hours over a target, making them an ideal platform for these missions. What they cannot do is respond anywhere near as rapidly as a fighter.

Meanwhile, although Coronet Nighthawk was just one of many military efforts by the U.S. government to try to stop the flow of drugs into the country from Central and South America, it appears to have been one of the more successful ones.

Contact the author: [email protected]