Escalating Global Conflicts and Anti-Drug Efforts

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro has condemned US airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea as an 'act of tyranny'. The strikes, which have killed 17 people since they began this month, have been defended by US President Donald Trump as necessary to stop the flow of fentanyl and other narcotics into the US. Petro has called for criminal proceedings against US officials if investigations find that Colombians were killed in the attacks. The strikes have been questioned by legal experts and lawmakers, who argue that they may violate international human rights laws. Petro has also accused the Trump administration of humiliating his people and said that South American nations will not 'bow down to the king'.

Israeli forces have neared the center of Gaza City as Hamas fighters regroup and prepare for intense street-to-street fighting. Thousands of Palestinians have fled the city since Israel launched its ground offensive last week. Israel aims to 'eliminate terrorists' and rescue its 48 remaining hostages. The BBC has verified footage of an Israeli tank near the central al-Shifa hospital. A Hamas figure claims the group is willing to call thousands of fighters into the city, raising fears of intense fighting in dense urban areas. The conflict has resulted in significant humanitarian concerns, with thousands of Palestinian families fleeing south along the coastal al-Rashid road, and hundreds of thousands remaining in Gaza City facing the constant threat of bombardment, collapsing hospitals, and dwindling food and water.

The U.S. State Department has designated Barrio 18 as a foreign terrorist organization due to its violent activities in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. This move is part of the Trump Administration's efforts to combat cartels and gangs, and follows the designation of over a dozen other groups as foreign terrorist organizations since the start of President Trump's second term. The designation will place Barrio 18 alongside other organizations like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, and is aimed at disrupting the revenue streams funding violent and criminal activity.

The Dominican Republic has confirmed that a boat targeted by a U.S. airstrike in international waters was carrying over a ton of suspected cocaine. The Dominican Republic's National Drug Control Directorate and navy seized hundreds of packages of the drug following the American attack. The operation was a joint effort between the Dominican Republic and the U.S., marking the first 'joint operation against narcoterrorism in the Caribbean region.' President Donald Trump ordered the strike as part of his administration's efforts to crack down on drug trafficking to the U.S. The Dominican Republic authorities detected a speedboat loaded with narcotics heading towards Dominican territory, which was then targeted by the U.S. military. The operation resulted in the deaths of three narco-terrorists on board.