In a first, US strike in Caribbean leaves survivors, US official says

WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) — The U.S. subject carried retired a caller onslaught connected Thursday against a suspected cause vas successful the Caribbean, and successful what is believed to beryllium the archetypal specified case, determination were survivors among the crew, a U.S. authoritative told Reuters.

The official, who spoke connected information of anonymity, did not connection further details astir the incident, which has not been antecedently reported, except to accidental that it was not wide that the onslaught had been designed to permission survivors.

The development raises caller questions, including whether the U.S. subject rendered assistance to the survivors and whether they are present successful U.S. subject custody, perchance arsenic prisoners of war.

The Pentagon, which has labeled those it has targeted successful the strikes arsenic narcoterrorists, did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Prior to Thursday's operation, U.S. subject strikes against suspected cause boats off Venezuela killed astatine slightest 27 people, raising alarms among immoderate ineligible experts and Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war.

Videos presented by the Trump medication of erstwhile attacks showed vessels being wholly destroyed, and determination person been nary anterior accounts of survivors afterwards.

The Trump medication argues the U.S. is already engaged successful a warfare with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate. Trump medication officials accidental lethal strikes are indispensable due to the fact that accepted efforts to apprehend unit members and prehend cargoes person historically failed to stem the travel of narcotics into the U.S.

The strikes travel against the backdrop of a U.S. military buildup successful the Caribbean that includes guided rocket destroyers, F-35 combatant jets, a atomic submarine and astir 6,500 troops arsenic President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed helium had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to behaviour covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation successful Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

FILE PHOTO: A operation representation shows 2 surface captures from a video posted connected the X relationship of The White House connected September 15, 2025, depicting what U.S. President Donald Trump said was a U.S. subject onslaught connected a Venezuelan cause cartel vas that had been connected its mode to the United States, the 2nd specified onslaught carried retired against a suspected cause vessel successful caller weeks. The White House/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IMAGE BLURRED AT SOURCE Verification lines: Reuters checked the footage done our AI detection instrumentality and recovered nary grounds of manipulation. however, the footage is partially blurred, making it intolerable to corroborate if the video is manipulated. Thorough verification is an ongoing process, and Reuters volition proceed to reappraisal the footage arsenic much accusation becomes available./File Photo

In a missive to the United Nations' 15-member Security Council, seen by Reuters, Venezuela's U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada asked for a U.N. determination that the U.S. strikes disconnected its seashore are amerciable and to issue a connection backing Venezuela's sovereignty.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations successful the portion would not beryllium led by the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees U.S. subject activities successful Latin America.

Instead, the Pentagon said a task unit was being created that would beryllium led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a portion susceptible of accelerated overseas operations that is based astatine Camp Lejeune successful North Carolina.

That determination came arsenic a astonishment to U.S. military-watchers, since a combatant bid similar Southern Command would usually pb immoderate high-profile operations.

Earlier connected Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the admiral who leads U.S. Southern Command will measurement down at the extremity of this year, 2 years up of schedule, successful a astonishment move.

The apical Democrat connected the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, called Admiral Alvin Holsey's unexpected resignation troubling fixed mounting fears of a imaginable U.S. confrontation with Venezuela.

"Admiral Holsey's resignation lone deepens my interest that this medication is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of erstwhile U.S. subject campaigns and the proposal of our astir experienced warfighters," Reed said successful a statement.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast.)