Russian intelligence ship, the ‘Kareliya,’ was detected near Hawaii, prompting a swift U.S. Coast Guard “safe overflight” amid soaring regional tensions. The encounter comes as Washington announced Operation Southern Spear, a campaign of lethal strikes on suspected Venezuela-linked narco-trafficking boats across the Caribbean. Russia has blasted the U.S. effort as a “war on drugs turned war on sovereign nations,” warning that American military actions risk triggering a wider confrontation. Moscow also reaffirmed its strategic ties with Venezuela, signaling deeper geopolitical rivalry as both powers push for influence in the Caribbean and Pacific.