Venezuelan Military Interferes with US Navy Counter-Drug Operation

Two Venezuelan military aircraft unexpectedly approached a US Navy vessel involved in anti-drug efforts in international waters, according to the Department of Defense. The Pentagon labeled the move as “highly provocative,” occurring just days after US forces targeted a drug-smuggling vessel associated with the Tren de Aragua cartel in the Caribbean, resulting in 11 narco-terrorists killed.

“Today, two Venezuelan military aircraft flew close to a US Navy ship in international waters. This act was intended to disrupt our counter-narcotics operations,” a Pentagon spokesperson stated. The aircraft, reportedly armed F-16 fighter jets, hovered near the USS Jason Dunham, an Aegis destroyer, which was under harassment by the Venezuelan military.

USS Gravely (DDG 107) sailing in the Red Sea. — The Navy deployed multiple ships, including at least eight in the Caribbean last month, to combat drug trafficking efforts.

Authorities issued a stern warning to Venezuela’s regime, advising the cartels against further attempts to obstruct US anti-narcotics and anti-terrorism operations. The incident involved aircraft armed and in flight, highlighting the tense nature of US-Venezuela military engagements.

Earlier, the Trump administration designated the Venezuelan crime syndicates Tren de Aragua and Cartel de Los Soles as foreign terrorist organizations and offered a $50 million bounty for Maduro’s apprehension, accusing him of collaborating with drug traffickers to import fentanyl-laced narcotics into the US.

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro condemned the naval buildup in the region as “the biggest threat seen on our continent in the last 100 years” and accused the US of pursuing regime change through military means.