At a Glance
- The U.S. claims it struck a dock facility in Venezuela, but details are limited.
- The strike is part of a broader campaign targeting drug-smuggling boats.
- At least 107 people have been killed in 30 strikes since September.
- Why it matters: The U.S. is moving to land targets, raising regional security questions.
President Trump’s comments on the dock strike came after a radio interview and a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida. He said the U.S. hit a facility where boats load drugs, but he did not confirm the exact location or the agency involved.
Trump Announces Dock Strike
President Donald Trump said:
> “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs. They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. There’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”
He added that the U.S. had struck the area and the boats, implying a shift from maritime to shore operations.
President Donald Trump also said:
> “I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was. But you know it was along the shore.”
During a Friday radio call with host John Catsimatidis, Trump mentioned a “big plant or a big facility” where ships come from, saying:
> “I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So, we hit them very hard.”
- No official confirmation from the U.S. military or CIA about the dock strike.
- Pentagon referred questions to the White House; no immediate response.
- Venezuelan government press office has not commented.
Military and Diplomatic Reactions
| Strike Type | Date | Casualties |
|---|---|---|
| Boat (eastern Pacific) | Monday | 2 |
| Total | Since early September | 107 |
| Total Strikes | Since early September | 30 |
The U.S. military conducted a Monday strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people. Overall, the administration reports 107 deaths across 30 strikes.
- The Pentagon has not posted on X about the dock facility strike.
- White House did not immediately respond to inquiries.
- The CIA was authorized to conduct covert operations in Venezuela in October; the agency did not comment.
Broader Context
The U.S. has also deployed warships, increased military forces in the region, seized two oil tankers, and pursued a third. The administration says it is in an armed conflict with drug cartels, aiming to stop narcotics flow into the U.S. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claims the operations are intended to remove him from power.
Susie Wiles said:
> “Trump ‘wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro ‘cries uncle.'”
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. is expanding anti-drug operations to land targets in Venezuela.
- At least 107 people have died in 30 strikes since September.
- Trump’s comments highlight a shift toward shore-based strikes, raising regional security concerns.
Report by Aiden V. Crossfield.
This story comes from News Of Austin.
The new focus on shore facilities signals a significant escalation in U.S. anti-drug efforts, with implications for Venezuelan sovereignty and regional stability.
