Khaberni - Officials in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump told Congress members today, Thursday, that the United States is not currently planning to carry out strikes inside Venezuela, according to sources familiar with the briefing by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and an official from the Office of the Legal Advisor at the White House who spoke to the American network "CNN".
Four sources mentioned that the officials informed Congress yesterday, Wednesday, that the United States does not have a legal basis to justify launching attacks on any ground targets inside Venezuela at this time.
They added that Congress members were informed, during the closed session, that the opinion from the Office of the Legal Advisor at the Department of Justice to justify the strikes against boats suspected of being involved in drug smuggling does not authorize carrying out strikes within Venezuela itself or any other lands.
The officials involved in the briefing, according to the sources, stated that the "executive order" that launched the American military campaign against boats suspected of being involved in drug smuggling, which began in September, does not include ground targets.
However, the Trump administration is seeking to obtain a separate legal opinion from the Department of Justice that provides justification for carrying out strikes against ground targets without the need to request authorization from Congress to use military force, as stated by an American official to "CNN", adding that no decisions have yet been made to proceed with an attack inside Venezuela.
The U.S. military has carried out 16 raids against boats in the Caribbean Sea area and the eastern Pacific Ocean since September, resulting in the death of at least 67 people.
"CNN" reports that during many media briefings to Congress, including the one held yesterday, Wednesday, officials in the Trump administration acknowledged that they do not necessarily know the individual identity of each person on board the vessel before attacking it.
