🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Donald Trump has asserted that American forces struck a "significant installation" in Venezuela last week. But, the ex-leader offered no details on the exact nature or site of the strike, and there has been no further comment from his team.

Unspecific Remarks Made During a Radio Show

"We just destroyed – I'm not sure if you saw – they have a big plant, where the vessels come from. Two nights ago, we took it out. So we targeted them very hard," Trump reportedly said to GOP supporter and supermarket owner John Catsimatidis in a recent interview.

Possible Significance of a Verified Attack

Should a American military action were to be confirmed, it would constitute the initial ground target hit since the US Department of Defense initiated a expansion of American military presence in the region to disrupt drug traffickers that the former administration alleges operate under the orders of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

This stated mission of the force deployment has evolved into a quarantine aimed at stopping the nation's crude oil shipments.

Social Media Video and Official Statements

Trump has for some time indicated that American military units are poised to expand the operations by striking targets within Venezuela, a tactic that would in theory require congressional approval.

A clip circulated online on 24 December appeared to show an explosion reportedly from an industrial area in a Venezuelan state. However, the video or the site in question has not been confirmed by third parties.

An source allegedly informed a news network that the former president was referring to a narco-trafficking site in his remarks.

Reaction and Current Military Situation

The Venezuelan government has issued no statement on the event Trump referenced. Additionally, there have been no corroborating news from within the country regarding it.

The presence of US military in the region – a posture some have called a maritime "quarantine" – constitutes the largest maritime enforcement action of his time in office.

Officials have stopped short from calling the operation as a full blockade, but have confirmed that about 15,000 service members are positioned across the Caribbean and the Gulf, including a carrier strike group, F-35 aircraft, and law enforcement vessels to enforce existing sanctions.