US sending aircraft carrier to South America, Pentagon says in major escalation of military buildup

The US military is deploying the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to waters off South America to bolster capacity against illicit activities, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. This move escalates an ongoing buildup of US forces in the Caribbean Sea and near Venezuela. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also announced a 10th strike on a suspected drug-running vessel operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, resulting in six deaths. Since early September, these strikes have led to at least 43 fatalities. The administration has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization and linked it to violence and drug trafficking. Hegseth emphasized that narco-terrorists would be treated similarly to Al-Qaeda, with operations conducted day or night.