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The U.S. Defense Department acknowledged on Thursday evening that two Venezuelan aircraft maneuvered close to a U.S. Navy ship situated in international waters. This incident, labeled by the department as a “highly provocative action,” coincides with the Trump administration’s intensifying counter-narcotics operations.
“Earlier today, military aircraft belonging to the Maduro regime approached a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters. This deliberate act was intended to disrupt our counter-narcotics operations,” stated the Defense Department on X. “The entity managing Venezuela is strongly cautioned against any attempts to obstruct or interfere with U.S. military counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism activities.”
According to a source acquainted with the matter, the Pentagon is sending 10 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Puerto Rico to support counter-narcotic operations in the Caribbean, as confirmed to Fox News.
Amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, the Pentagon noted that Venezuelan aircraft flew over a U.S. Navy ship in international waters on September 4.
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During a visit to Ecuador on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the reclassification of two gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. He criticized Venezuelan leaders for their role in the drug trade and denounced Nicolás Maduro as an “indicted drug trafficker” and a “fugitive from U.S. justice.”
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, alongside First Lady Cilia Flores, participated in Independence Day celebrations on July 5, 2025, parading in a military vehicle in Caracas.
