Venezuela

Russia and its close ally Belarus reached out to Venezuela's embattled leader, Nicolas Maduro, on Thursday as US President Donald Trump ramps up pressure for his removal.

"The torture, ill-treatment, and acts of sexual violence we have verified were not isolated incidents. They form part of a pattern of abuse used to punish and break victims," said head of UN mission.

Officials, speaking with Reuters on the condition of anonymity, said the US Coast Guard led the operation, and did not name the tanker or where the interdiction took place.

The second strike, ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley, led some lawmakers to suggest that the US may have violated the law of war.

After Trump told reporters repeatedly that a land attack would start "very soon," a group of senators filed a resolution to block US military action against Venezuela without congressional approval.

"The objective was to destroy Hamas. Gaza is destroyed, but Hamas is not yet destroyed. So there is something fundamentally wrong with the way this is conducted," Antonio Guterres said.

“I want those boats taken out, and if necessary, we’ll attack on land as well as at sea. We’re taking those individuals out,” Trump said.

When societies struggle, many leaders find it easier to blame Jews than fix their own problems, as Venezuela demonstrates today

The Trump administration launched an offensive on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific in recent months, killing dozens through targeted missile strikes.

The Venezuelan government has previously said that nearly 14,000 Venezuelans had returned home from the US on the flights between February and November.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is running out of paths to step down and leave Venezuela under US protection, sources say.