September 4, 2025, 11:07 PM
The Pentagon said two Venezuelan military aircraft flew near a U.S. Navy vessel on Thursday in international waters in a “highly provocative move.”
In a social media post on X Thursday night, the Defense Department stated that the action “was intended to disrupt our counter narco-terrorism operations.”
CBS News reported on Thursday that two armed Venezuelan F-16 fighters flew over the USS Jason Dunham, which U.S. officials interpreted as a demonstration of power.
US Navy rocket destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) goes to Gdynia Port for short visit, May 6, 2015.
Michal Fludra/NurPhoto via Getty Images
This occurred after President Donald Trump announced earlier in the week that he had ordered U.S. military forces to attack a ship in the Caribbean Sea, which he claimed was transporting suspected Tren de Aragua drug traffickers, resulting in 11 fatalities.
The Pentagon’s message on Thursday further warned: “The Venezuelan regime is strongly cautioned against making any future attempts to obstruct, deter, or interfere with U.S. military operations targeting narcotics and terrorism.”
The Navy recently deployed eight ships to the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.
