Venezuela conducts air provocation against United States
Illustrative photo: F-16 fighter jets in the air (Getty Images)
Two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets carried out a dangerous flyover of a US warship in the Caribbean Sea, according to Bloomberg.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of sharply deteriorating relations between the US and the government of Nicolas Maduro after a recent US strike on a vessel that, according to the Pentagon, was transporting narcotics from Venezuela.
Provocative maneuver
According to the Pentagon, two Venezuelan military aircraft conducted a "dangerous flyover" of a US vessel in the Caribbean Sea. CBS News reported that the planes were armed F-16 fighter jets.
US officials described Caracas’ actions as a "deliberate provocation" intended to disrupt Washington’s counternarcotics operations. The Pentagon warned that "the cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to interfere with any other operations by the US."
At the same time, the Pentagon did not disclose details of the incident, such as the distance the jets approached the ship or the exact location. Venezuela’s information ministry also declined to comment.
Conflict background
The incident came only days after US forces destroyed a speedboat allegedly carrying narcotics from Venezuela. All 11 people on board were killed, prompting sharp criticism domestically and abroad over suspicions that civilians may have been among the dead.
Meanwhile, Washington reinforced its presence in the region by sending several ships with 4,000 sailors and marines. Officially, this was explained as an effort to block drug-trafficking routes, but experts view it as an element of political pressure on the Maduro regime.
Tough signals from Washington
The flyover incident coincided with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Ecuador. During the trip, he urged regional partners to support pressure on Caracas and declared that the US was prepared for new strikes.
"The president has said he wants to wage war on these groups because they’ve been waging war on us for 30 years, and no one has responded," Rubio stated.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also defended the strike on the speedboat, saying it was a signal to cartels and their allies in Venezuela.
The US has offered a reward of $50 million for information leading to the capture of Maduro, who is accused of narcotrafficking, corruption, and human rights violations.
In September 2024, the US also imposed sanctions on 16 Maduro allies in response to election fraud and the government’s repression of the opposition.
