President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States carried out an attack on Venezuelan territory targeting a drug operation—potentially the first known American military action on the ground inside Venezuela since pressure against President Nicolas Maduro’s government intensified.
“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump stated. “We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area… it’s the implementation area.”
However, many details remain unclear. It’s unknown which U.S. agency was involved or exactly what location was targeted.
Trump has previously mentioned authorizing the CIA to conduct secret operations in Venezuela. Last week, during a radio appearance, he made unclear remarks about a U.S. strike against what he called a “big facility” in Venezuela.
So far, none of the key agencies the CIA, White House, or Pentagon have provided any additional information or responded to questions from Reuters. Venezuela’s government hasn’t commented either, and there are no independent reports from inside Venezuela confirming the incident Trump described.
The silence from U.S. national security officials has led some to wonder if this was a covert operation. If so, that would explain why American officials can’t publicly discuss it.
Growing Pressure on Maduro
The Trump administration has been ramping up pressure on Maduro’s government for months. Last month, Reuters reported that the U.S. was preparing to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations. Two U.S. officials said at the time that covert operations would likely be the opening move.
Until now, American efforts have mainly focused on military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats. The Pentagon has even posted videos of some of these strikes on social media, celebrating successes against drug traffickers.
More than 100 people have been killed across over 20 strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific as part of this campaign. But the operations have also attracted serious scrutiny from Congress.
Earlier this month, U.S. military leaders briefed lawmakers about a September incident that raised troubling questions. An American strike killed 11 people but left several survivors. Admiral Frank Bradley then ordered a second strike that finished off those survivors.
Democrats in Congress have questioned whether that second strike followed international law.
Major Military Buildup
Trump’s announcement comes as the U.S. has been massively increasing its military presence in the Caribbean. More than 15,000 American troops are now deployed in the region.
The combination of Trump’s comments, the military buildup, and the lack of official details has left many wondering what exactly is happening and what might come next in America’s confrontation with Venezuela.
For now, the full story remains shrouded in secrecy, with only Trump’s brief remarks offering any glimpse into what may be a significant escalation in U.S. operations against Maduro’s government.
