In a significant move, the United States sent two fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday, marking what is believed to be the closest approach of American military aircraft to Venezuelan airspace so far, according to reports.
The F/A-18 jets were tracked on Flightradar24, where they were seen flying over the waters north of Venezuela for approximately 30 minutes, as reported by the Associated Press.
A U.S. defense official, who requested anonymity, described the brief mission as a “routine training flight” aimed at showcasing the aircraft’s operational capabilities.
The deployment of F-18 fighter jets in the Gulf of Venezuela occurred on Tuesday, reports indicate. (Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
While the official did not confirm whether the jets were armed, they stressed that the entire operation was conducted within international airspace.
This recent flight comes amid several months of increased U.S. military presence in the region.
Although the U.S. has previously flown B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers along Venezuela’s coastline, those aircraft did not appear to approach as closely as Tuesday’s F/A-18s.
The U.S. military deployed F/A-18 jets near Venezuelan airspace in what defense officials described as routine training to demonstrate operational reach. (Julian Abram Wainwright/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The increase in activity in the region first began after U.S. strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in both the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific.
The first reported U.S. military strike on a vessel that allegedly departed from Venezuela carrying drugs was in September.
The Trump administration said the operations were essential to curbing illicit drug trafficking, though Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro continues to deny this.
Tensions surrounding Venezuelan airspace escalated in November after President Trump instructed airlines to treat the region as effectively closed, aligning with FAA warnings to civilian carriers.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a ceremonial sword said to have belonged to independence hero Simon Bolivar during a government-organized civic-military march in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)
Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation previously told Fox News Digital that Venezuela’s most significant military threat stems from its own air-naval systems.
He said that included fighter jets, limited surface vessels, and Russian-made surface-to-air missiles.
“Reasonably speaking, in the first day or two of a campaign plan, we can eliminate the air and maritime threat to U.S. forces,” Montgomery said.
Isaias Medina, an international lawyer and former Venezuelan diplomat, also said Venezuela’s own military capabilities look better on paper than in reality.
