Oman Proposes Strait of Hormuz Plan as U.S. Rejects Iran Shipping Fee Idea 
North Korea Warns U.S. Forces Japan Expansion Raises Korea Conflict Risk 
Trump, Zelenskiy Discuss Patriot Missile Production and Ukraine Peace Talks 
Trump, Netanyahu Discuss Iran Nuclear Options as Tensions Escalate 
AI Avatar of Jair Bolsonaro Sparks Legal Battle Ahead of Brazil’s 2026 Presidential Election 
Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Plans Temporary Food Tax Cut to Ease Inflation Pressure 
US Intercepts Iranian Ballistic Missiles as Middle East Tensions Escalate 
Ukraine F-16 Fighter Jet Crashes During Mission, Pilot Ejects Safely 
Suez Canal Shipping Faces New Risk After Drone Strike on Gas Tankers in Egypt 
Zelenskiy Urges Trump for More Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems to Strengthen Ukraine Defense 
Spain Deploys Troops as Ceuta Faces Major Migrant Surge From Morocco 
U.S., Saudi Forces Launch Precision Strikes on Iran-Backed Militants in Iraq 
New Jewish-Arab Party Seeks Young Voters Ahead of Israel Election Amid Debate Over Arab Vote 
Oman Proposes Strait of Hormuz Plan as U.S., Iran Remain Divided Over Shipping Fees 
Lebanon Lawyers Seek Probe Into Banker Over Alleged Netanyahu Dinner in Washington 
UN Warns of Rising Israeli Settler Violence in West Bank as Palestinian Death Toll Grows 
Ukraine’s drone strikes are having an impact on Russia — but Russian leaders remain committed to war 
A newly formed U.S.-military-led task force focused on intelligence gathering against drug cartels played a supporting role in the Mexican military operation that killed Nemesio Oseguera, widely known as “El Mencho,” according to U.S. defense officials who spoke to Reuters.
The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel (JITF-CC), officially launched last month, brings together multiple U.S. government agencies to map and disrupt cartel networks operating along the U.S.-Mexico border. While U.S. officials emphasized that the raid in Jalisco was carried out solely by Mexican forces, they confirmed that American authorities provided intelligence assistance.
A former U.S. official said the United States assembled a detailed target package on El Mencho, drawing from law enforcement and intelligence sources, and shared it with the Mexican government. Mexico’s defense ministry acknowledged receiving “complementary information” from U.S. authorities but stressed that no American military personnel were involved in the operation itself.
El Mencho, 60, was the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most influential and violent criminal organizations. Despite a $15 million U.S. bounty, he evaded capture for years. His death marks a significant development in Mexico’s fight against drug trafficking, including the flow of fentanyl and cocaine into the United States.
U.S. Brigadier General Maurizio Calabrese, head of the task force, said the military is applying counterterrorism experience to dismantle cartel structures. Officials estimate a few hundred core cartel leaders coordinate operations, supported by up to 250,000 collaborators.
The task force’s creation follows the Trump administration’s designation of Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, expanding U.S. military intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Analysts say enhanced coordination and real-time intelligence sharing could intensify efforts to combat cross-border drug trafficking and organized crime networks.
