US Launches Drone Strike on Venezuelan Port Targeting Drug Operations
The United States carried out a drone strike earlier this month on a port facility along the Venezuelan coast, marking the first publicly known attack on Venezuelan soil. The targeted location is believed to have been used by the criminal group Tren de Aragua to store and transport narcotics, according to sources familiar with the operation.
The strike hit a remote dock where the gang allegedly loaded drugs onto boats for shipment. No individuals were present at the site at the time, resulting in no casualties.
While some sources suggested that US Special Operations Forces provided intelligence for the operation, a spokesperson for US Special Operations Command denied any involvement. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has also declined to comment.
Former US President Donald Trump briefly acknowledged the operation in a recent interview, describing the strike as targeting a facility used to load boats with drugs, without specifying whether the military or the CIA carried out the action.
The attack could further escalate tensions between Washington and Caracas. The United States has been applying pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro through sanctions and military threats. In recent months, US forces have destroyed multiple vessels involved in drug trafficking and imposed blockades on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.
The strike highlights the ongoing US effort to combat narcotics trafficking in the region and could have significant geopolitical consequences. Venezuelan officials have yet to issue an official response regarding the operation.
