The investigation focuses on Operation Southern Spear, a campaign launched by the administration of US President Donald Trump in September 2025 targeting boats Washington alleges are linked to narcotics trafficking networks operating from Latin America.

According to reports, the Pentagon review will examine whether the US military followed established operational and legal procedures under the Joint Targeting Cycle, the framework governing the planning and execution of military strikes.

“The scope of this evaluation includes the joint process for targeted vessels in the US Southern Command area of responsibility as part of Operation Southern Spear,” the Pentagon inspector general’s office said in a memorandum cited by Bloomberg.

The review will be conducted at the Pentagon and at the headquarters of United States Southern Command in Florida, according to the memorandum dated May 11.

The military campaign has drawn criticism from legal experts and human rights organizations, which argue the strikes may constitute extrajudicial killings because the targeted vessels allegedly did not pose an imminent threat to the United States.

Critics have also questioned whether the administration has provided sufficient evidence demonstrating that the vessels destroyed during the operations were actively involved in drug trafficking.
At least 192 people have reportedly been killed since the start of the operation, according to media accounts cited in the reports.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the campaign, describing the operation as part of a broader war against what the administration terms “narco-terrorists.” Hegseth previously said the operation had been so aggressive that potential maritime targets had become increasingly difficult to locate.

The strikes represent a significant shift in US counter-narcotics strategy. Historically, American anti-drug operations in the region have focused on intercepting vessels, seizing narcotics shipments and arresting suspects rather than conducting lethal military attacks at sea.

The growing scrutiny comes as the Trump administration continues expanding military involvement in transnational security operations across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The bill passed the 120-seat Knesset by a vote of 93-0, with remaining lawmakers absent or abstaining, reflecting broad political backing for prosecuting suspects linked to the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.

The legislation creates a separate judicial framework to try individuals accused of involvement in the assault led by Hamas militants, who killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages during the cross-border attack in October 2023.

Under the new law, judges will be allowed to impose capital punishment through a majority decision rather than requiring unanimity. Appeals against verdicts or sentences will be heard by a dedicated appeals court rather than Israel’s regular judicial system.

The trials are also expected to be livestreamed from a courtroom in Jerusalem, prompting comparisons by critics to the televised 1962 trial of Nazi official Adolf Eichmann, whose execution remains the only civilian use of the death penalty in Israel’s history.

Israeli and international rights organizations criticized the measure, arguing that it weakens fair trial protections and risks politicizing judicial proceedings.
Groups including Adalah, Hamoked and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel said accountability for the Oct. 7 attack should not come at the expense of established legal standards.

Critics also raised concerns over the admissibility and reliability of evidence potentially obtained through coercive interrogation methods, as well as the impact of broadcasting proceedings before convictions are secured.

The legislation is separate from another law passed earlier this year authorizing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. That measure applies only to future cases and does not cover suspects detained over the 2023 attack.

According to Israeli rights organizations, about 1,300 Palestinians from Gaza Strip remain in Israeli detention without formal charges, while thousands more have been detained and later released since the start of the war.

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched in response to the Oct. 7 assault, has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, though United Nations agencies and international observers have generally considered its casualty reporting credible.

Simcha Rothman, a sponsor of the bill and member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, said the legislation demonstrated national unity around securing accountability for the attacks.

United States Southern Command released video footage on social media showing what appeared to be a vessel at sea moments before an explosion engulfed it in flames.The military said it immediately alerted the United States Coast Guard to begin search-and-rescue operations for the surviving individual.The strike marked the latest in a series of U.S. military operations targeting suspected drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea since September

. According to Associated Press reporting, the campaign has resulted in at least 193 deaths. The Pentagon has repeatedly said the targeted vessels were operating along known drug-smuggling routes and linked to trafficking networks, though officials have not publicly presented evidence showing that the destroyed boats were carrying narcotics.

The operation came days after the White House announced that President Donald Trump had approved a revised U.S. counterterrorism strategy prioritizing the dismantling of drug cartels across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Trump has described cartels as an “unacceptable threat” to hemispheric security and has urged regional governments to intensify military cooperation with Washington against organized crime and transnational gangs.

The strikes have intensified in recent weeks despite growing scrutiny from legal scholars and human rights groups, who have questioned the legality of using military force against suspected traffickers outside conventional armed conflict zones.

Critics have argued the operations risk constituting extrajudicial killings because the U.S. government has disclosed limited evidence about the identities of those targeted or the intelligence underpinning the attacks.

The campaign has also coincided with a major expansion of U.S. military activity in Latin America and Caribbean waters, where the administration says it is attempting to curb narcotics flows into the United States and disrupt cartel financing networks.

Qusai Rayyan, 29, was shot and arrested by Israeli forces during a raid in Salfit Governorate in the northwestern West Bank on April 15, amid continuing Israeli operations across the territory that authorities say are aimed at addressing security threats.

The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees Affairs said Rayyan had undergone several surgeries at Beilinson Hospital in northern Israel following the shooting, but remained unconscious and his condition continued to deteriorate.

The ministry said Israeli authorities had informed them that he would be released, though no specific date was immediately provided.

The development was also reported by the Palestinian news agency WAFA.Israeli forces have carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank since the escalation of the Gaza war, conducting arrests and house searches targeting individuals suspected of militant activity or political involvement.

Palestinian officials and human rights groups have raised growing concerns over the treatment of detainees, particularly those injured during arrests and those held without formal charges.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at least 40 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers in the occupied West Bank since January.

Palestinian authorities also say Israeli security forces continue to withhold the bodies of dozens of Palestinians killed during military raids since October 2023, a practice that has drawn criticism from families and legal advocacy groups.

The number of detainees reported to have died in Israeli custody since October 2023 has surpassed 100, according to Palestinian officials. Of those, 84 have been publicly identified, including 50 detainees from Gaza.

The broader issue of detainee treatment remains one of the most sensitive aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly as violence in the West Bank has intensified alongside the war in Gaza.

Neither Israeli military authorities nor prison officials immediately issued public comment on Rayyan’s condition or the reasons for his release.

Suu Kyi, 80, had been serving a 27-year sentence on multiple charges including incitement, corruption, election fraud and violations of state secrets laws, which her supporters say were politically motivated following the military takeover. It remains unclear whether she will be permitted to serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest, according to her legal representative.

The sentence reduction comes as President Min Aung Hlaing approved an amnesty for 4,335 prisoners, state media reported. The move coincides with Thingyan, during which pardons are commonly granted, alongside annual Independence Day clemency measures.

A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the scope of the amnesty or Suu Kyi’s status. The announcement also included provisions commuting death sentences to life imprisonment, according to official statements.

Myanmar has been in political turmoil since Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup in 2021 that ousted Suu Kyi’s elected government, triggering widespread unrest and international condemnation. He was sworn in as president earlier this month following elections widely criticised by international observers as lacking credibility.

The latest reduction marks the third amnesty initiative in six months, reflecting a pattern of periodic clemency announcements by the military authorities amid ongoing domestic instability.

In London, Wolfgang began searching for his father with growing urgency after losing contact with him in the United Arab Emirates. Unable to reach Albert directly, he contacted associates in the country and began tracing possible leads.

Initial concerns centred on reports of violence along border regions, where Wolfgang believed smugglers might have been involved. He organised searches along known transit routes and contacted hospitals and police authorities, but no information emerged during the first week.

Roughly ten days later, Wolfgang received a call from an unfamiliar UAE number. Albert, speaking amid audible background noise, confirmed he was alive but in distress. By that point, he had already spent days in solitary confinement, according to his account.The episode unfolded against a backdrop of heightened regional instability that has begun to affect perceptions of the UAE as a secure destination for foreign residents.

In recent weeks, missile strikes linked to the conflict involving Iran have disrupted daily life in parts of the country, prompting some expatriates and visitors to leave. The developments have challenged the long-standing narrative of the UAE as a stable regional hub.Authorities have also tightened information controls during the crisis.

Influencers, who have required government licensing since 2025, along with members of the public, have been warned against sharing unverified footage of attacks. Violations carry the risk of fines or imprisonment. Reports indicate that more than 20 individuals, including a British tourist, have faced charges related to the dissemination of such material.

Before the escalation in regional tensions, the UAE hosted an estimated 250,000 British expatriates, many concentrated in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The country has attracted foreign professionals and entrepreneurs with low taxation, modern infrastructure and business opportunities.

At the same time, its legal and political framework differs significantly from Western systems, with restrictions on political activity, strict social regulations and extensive surveillance infrastructure.Wolfgang and Albert were among earlier waves of expatriates who built businesses during periods of rapid development. Wolfgang described a social environment in which expatriates were integrated into high-profile networks, often participating in events that showcased Dubai’s global image.

He said expatriates like himself were used to project success, describing the experience as “the proof in the pudding” of opportunity in the city.Albert, however, characterised his time in the UAE differently, focusing primarily on work and family life. He said he avoided risky or informal business practices, believing that legal processes in the country operated fairly.

That assumption changed after his detention.According to Albert, his legal situation deteriorated rapidly. He described escalating legal costs, asset seizures and pressure from creditors as his case moved through the courts. Legal advice he received suggested that his chances of success were limited.

He said he had not previously encountered the concept of financial entrapment, but claimed that many inmates he later met had faced similar circumstances.As legal avenues narrowed, Wolfgang explored options to extract his father from the country.

He said he arranged contact with a people-smuggling network in London and agreed to pay £20,000 for an operation that would move Albert across borders through a multi-stage route involving land and sea transit. The plan involved crossing into Iran and eventually reaching Pakistan before returning to the United Kingdom using emergency documentation.

Albert’s detention continued during this period. He was eventually transferred in June 2021 to Al Awir prison in Dubai, a large facility on the outskirts of the city. There, he shared a cell with multiple inmates, including individuals from various national backgrounds. He described conditions as overcrowded, with up to 15 prisoners sharing limited sleeping arrangements and basic amenities.

Foreign nationals make up a significant proportion of the UAE’s prison population, reflecting the country’s broader demographic composition. Many detainees come from South Asia, often linked to labour migration under the kafala system, which ties workers’ legal status to their employers.

Albert said that living conditions depended in part on access to financial support from outside the prison. He reported paying for basic items, including a chair to accommodate a pre-existing back condition. Access to facilities such as gyms and libraries was limited, with long waiting periods.

Daily life inside the prison was marked by inactivity and restricted communication. Albert said visits from family and legal representatives were blocked, and he developed coping mechanisms to manage extended periods of confinement. He described irregular sleep patterns and persistent noise within the facility.He also said he was pressured to sign legal documents written in Arabic, a language he did not understand.

He maintained that his case involved coercion and lacked transparency, though no official response to these claims was provided in the material.The experience has highlighted broader tensions within the UAE’s model of economic openness combined with strict legal enforcement.

While the country continues to attract foreign investment and talent, cases involving expatriates have drawn attention to the risks associated with its legal system, particularly for individuals unfamiliar with local regulations.

Wolfgang’s account underscores the challenges faced by families attempting to navigate cross-border legal disputes in jurisdictions with differing legal frameworks.

His efforts to locate and assist his father unfolded alongside a shifting geopolitical environment that has begun to affect both the perception and lived reality of expatriate life in the Gulf.