Hegseth confirms three killed in latest US anti-drug boat strike

The military action was the latest of more than a dozen US strikes since September on vessels near the Venezuelan coast and, more recently, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, that have killed more than 60 people.

US Senate Republicans blocked a resolution on Thursday that would have prevented President Donald Trump from attacking Venezuela without congressional authorisation, a day after administration officials told lawmakers that Washington is not currently planning strikes on Venezuelan territory.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)