President Donald Trump said the United States carried out a strike on a dock facility linked to alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking operations, hinting at a significant expansion of Washington’s pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump said the attack caused a “major explosion” at a location where boats were allegedly loaded with narcotics, but he did not identify the site or provide operational details. Venezuelan authorities have not publicly acknowledged any such strike.
US media outlets including CNN and The New York Times reported that the explosion was caused by a drone strike conducted by the CIA, citing officials familiar with the matter. If confirmed, it would mark the first known US military or intelligence operation carried out on Venezuelan territory.
Asked directly on Monday whether the CIA was responsible, Trump declined to confirm the report.
“I don’t want to say that,” he told reporters. “I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was.”
Neither the White House nor the CIA has issued an official statement. The Pentagon referred inquiries to the White House.
Trump has referenced the incident twice in recent days. In a radio interview last week, he spoke of a US operation targeting a “big facility” but again offered no specifics.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump suggested the strike marked a shift in strategy. “We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area,” he said. “That’s where they implement, and that is no longer around.”
The comments suggest a possible move beyond maritime interdictions into land based operations, a step that would significantly raise tensions with Caracas.
Venezuela’s government has not responded to Trump’s remarks. State run Venezuelan media has not reported any explosion or attack, and there has been no independent confirmation of damage or casualties.
Unlike previous US strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels, the Pentagon has not released images or video evidence related to the dock incident.
Read Also: Russia, China Condemn U.S. Pressure On Venezuela At UN Talks
US officials have also not provided proof that the targeted boats or facilities were involved in drug trafficking.
Since September, the US military has carried out at least 30 strikes on vessels it claims were transporting narcotics in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, according to US Southern Command. The operations have resulted in more than 100 deaths.
The most recent strike occurred on Monday, when Southern Command said two people described as “narco terrorists” were killed in the eastern Pacific.
With the exception of two survivors from Colombia and Ecuador, US authorities have not released the identities of those killed in the maritime strikes.