U.S. Executes First Land Operation in Venezuela as Trump Claims ‘Hit’ on Drug Loading Sites
President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States had carried out a strike against an area in Venezuela where drug trafficking vessels are loaded, marking the first known land operation by the U.S. since launching a pressure campaign against President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
“This was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump stated.
“We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area … it’s the implementation area.”
Trump confirmed he recently spoke with Maduro, adding that “nothing much comes of it.”
It remained unclear which U.S. government agency conducted the operation or what specific target was struck.
Trump has previously indicated he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
On a recent radio show, Trump referenced an apparent U.S. military action targeting a “big facility” in Venezuela.
U.S. intelligence agencies, the White House, and the Pentagon have not publicly elaborated on those comments or addressed related inquiries.
The Venezuelan government has not acknowledged the incident, and there are no independent reports of it from Venezuela.
The administration has long emphasized successes in intercepting suspected drug trafficking vessels, with the Pentagon sharing footage of previous strikes on social media platforms.
The absence of public response from U.S. security officials raised concerns that the operation might have been conducted covertly, a tactic that would restrict official commentary.
Last month, reports indicated the U.S. was preparing for a new phase of Venezuela-related operations as the Trump administration intensified pressure on Maduro’s government.
At that time, two U.S. officials stated that covert operations would likely be the initial component of the broader strategy against Maduro.
The U.S. mission has focused primarily on military strikes targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels, drawing significant scrutiny from Congress. Over 100 people have been killed in more than 20 such strikes across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific regions.
Earlier this month, U.S. military officials briefed lawmakers about a September incident in which an American strike killed 11 individuals but left several survivors. Those survivors were later killed in a second strike ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley.
Democrats on Capitol Hill have raised questions over whether that second strike complied with international law.
