Washington: The legality of the Trump administration deploying an aircraft carrier battle group to waters near Central and South America is ‘questionable,’ Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly said on Sunday. Kelly’s remarks come as the US military conducted its 10th strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug vessel, with all attacks taking place in international waters.

According to Anadolu Agency, Kelly expressed concerns over the US military’s actions and criticized the potential for land operations in Venezuela. “They were tying themselves in knots trying to explain this. We had a lot of questions for them, both Democrats and Republicans. It was not a good meeting. It did not go well,” Kelly remarked to ABC News.

He further questioned the movement of a battlegroup to the Caribbean, suggesting it was either to intimidate Venezuela or to initiate combat operations. Kelly argued that this approach renders the US “less safe” and that initiating a war over a law enforcement issue “does not make any sense.”

The US strikes
are reported to have resulted in at least 43 fatalities.