Venezuela Has Staged An Air Provocation Against The U.S.
- 5.09.2025, 7:39
Details.
Two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets made a dangerous overflight of a US warship in the Caribbean Sea.
It was reported by Vloomberg.
The event came amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the U.S. and Nicolas Maduro's government following a recent U.S. strike on a boat that the Pentagon believes was carrying drugs from Venezuela.
Provocative Maneuver
The Pentagon said two Venezuelan warplanes made a "dangerous overflight" of a U.S. vessel in the Caribbean Sea. CBS News said the aircraft in question were armed F-16 fighter jets.
U.S. officials said Caracas' actions were a "deliberate provocation" and intended to interfere with Washington's operations to combat drug trafficking.
"The cartel that controls Venezuela is strongly advised not to interfere with any other U.S. operations," the U.S. defense establishment said in a statement.
The Pentagon, however, did not disclose details of the incident, such as the distance the fighter jets approached the vessel and the exact location of the incident.
Venezuela's Information Ministry also refrained from commenting.
Backstory of the conflict
The incident comes just days after the U.S. military destroyed a speedboat it said was carrying drugs from Venezuela.
The strike killed all 11 people on board, prompting sharp criticism both at home and abroad over suspicions of possible civilian deaths.
Washington, meanwhile, has stepped up its military presence in the region, sending several ships with 4,000 sailors and marines. Officially, this is explained by the need to block drug trafficking channels, but experts see such actions as an element of political pressure on the Maduro regime.
Hard signals from Washington
The incident with Venezuelan planes coincided with the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Ecuador. During the trip, he urged regional partners to support a policy of pressure on Caracas and bluntly stated that the US is ready for new strikes.
"We will no longer limit ourselves to arresting drug traffickers and destroying their boats. This is a war they have been waging against us for three decades. It's time to respond," Rubio said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also defended the U.S. military's actions, saying the boat strike was a "signal" to drug cartels and their allies in Venezuela.