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President Donald Trump says the United States has carried out a strike inside Venezuela, hitting what he described as a key drug-loading area, a claim that, if confirmed, would mark a sharp and worrying escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against President Nicolas Maduro.
Speaking from Florida, Trump said there was a “major explosion” at a dock where boats were allegedly being loaded with drugs for export. He said both the vessels and the surrounding area were hit, suggesting the site has been wiped out.
“We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area,” Trump said, without offering details on where the strike happened or which U.S. agency carried it out.
That silence has raised eyebrows. When asked if the CIA was responsible, Trump refused to say, hinting only that he knew exactly who was behind it. The White House, the Pentagon and the CIA have all declined to comment, adding to speculation that the operation was carried out in secret.
U.S. media reports say the strike may have targeted a remote dock on Venezuela’s coast believed to be used by the notorious Tren de Aragua gang to move drugs by sea. According to CNN, the attack was carried out earlier this month using a drone.
So far, there has been no confirmation from Venezuela. The Maduro government has not commented, and there have been no independent reports on the ground backing Trump’s account.
The timing is tense. Trump has already authorized covert operations against Venezuela and recently hinted on a radio show that the U.S. had struck a “big facility” there. Last month, U.S. officials told Reuters that Washington was preparing a new phase of action against Maduro, with covert strikes expected to come first.
The administration has also ramped up military activity in the region, deploying more than 15,000 U.S. troops across the Caribbean as part of counter-narcotics operations.
Those operations have not been without controversy. More than 100 people have reportedly been killed in dozens of U.S. strikes on suspected drug trafficking targets, prompting concerns in Congress over civilian deaths and whether international law is being followed.
For now, Trump’s remarks leave the biggest questions unanswered, what exactly was hit, who approved it, and how Venezuela might respond. But one thing is clear: the line between counter-narcotics operations and direct confrontation appears to be getting thinner, and that has made more than a few people uneasy.
*Source: Reuters
