U.S. Strikes Facility in Venezuela Amid Ongoing Tensions
In a recent interview, President Donald Trump disclosed that the U.S. military targeted a significant facility in Venezuela last week, marking a notable escalation in actions against President Nicolas Maduro’s regime. This announcement follows Trump’s earlier warnings that more strikes could occur soon, especially after the U.S. seized a Venezuelan oil tanker.
The U.S. has already launched airstrikes on at least 28 boats involved in drug trafficking, resulting in the deaths of about 105 individuals labeled as “narcoterrorists,” according to classified intelligence reports.
During a phone call on Friday, Trump announced that the military successfully knocked out a drug facility, representing the first documented strike on Venezuelan soil after months of targeting boats associated with drug trafficking.
“We just knocked out — I don’t know if you read or you saw — they have a big plant or big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from,” Trump shared with New York’s WABC radio. “Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard.”
However, the President did not provide details regarding the specific location, the nature of the strike, or the facility’s precise role in drug trafficking.
Back in October, Trump confirmed the authorization of CIA operations in Venezuela, as his administration aims to oust Maduro from power.
Maduro faces U.S. federal charges for allegedly leading a drug trafficking network known as the “Cartel of the Suns,” which reportedly involves Venezuelan military officials working with the Colombian group FARC to smuggle large amounts of cocaine into the U.S.
The U.S., alongside the European Union and several Latin American nations, has declared Maduro’s current term (2025–2031) as illegitimate, citing evidence of electoral fraud.
“I authorized for two reasons, really, number one they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, they came in through the border,” Trump explained concerning Venezuela. “A lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of drugs come in through the sea, but we’re going to stop them by land also.”
Furthermore, the Trump administration has taken action against three Venezuelan oil tankers, seizing at least two in recent weeks. These actions have been described as legal under U.S. sanctions, targeting vessels used to circumvent restrictions and allegedly fund Maduro’s regime.
“We’re going to keep it. Maybe we’ll sell it. Maybe we’ll keep it. Maybe we’ll use it in the strategic reserves,” Trump mentioned to reporters about the seized oil. “We’re keeping the ships, also.”
The first vessel, the “Skipper,” was seized on December 10 while attempting to disguise its origin under Guyana’s flag, carrying around 1.8 million barrels of crude oil. A second ship, “Centuries,” was taken on December 20, reportedly laden with a similar amount of oil and was supposedly headed for China.
As of now, the Venezuelan government has not publicly responded to the U.S. strike on its territory.
