President Donald Trump was briefed this week on options for military operations inside Venezuela as he continues to mull a path forward in the country, four sources told CNN.
Trump has yet to decide on how to proceed, and he continues to weigh the risks and benefits of launching a scaled-up campaign. The president has previously voiced reservations about taking military action meant to oust Nicolas Maduro, concerned about whether it would prove effective.
While Wednesday’s briefing included an updated set of options for the president to consider, it did not indicate that he’s closer to making a decision, one of the people said. Another source familiar with the briefing said the options were similar to those that have been discussed within the Pentagon, and some publicly reported, in recent weeks.
The target options – which United States Southern Command has stood up planning cells to develop – are part of an operation dubbed “SOUTHERN SPEAR,” according to a senior US official aware of the planning. They were presented by top officials on Trump’s national security team, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
Hegseth announced the operation on X Thursday night, though he did not reveal details.
https://lite.cnn.com/2025/11/13/politics/military-venezuela-trump
4 killed when US military carried out 20th strike on alleged narco drug trafficking vessel
The United States military launched its 20th strike on an alleged drug trafficking vessel earlier this week in the Caribbean, killing four people on board, according to a report by CNN citing a Pentagon official. The operation marks the latest in a string of controversial air and sea strikes carried out as part of Washington’s intensified campaign against narco-trafficking networks.