The Pentagon said Thursday that two Venezuelan military jets flew close to a US Navy destroyer in international waters, calling the maneuver a “highly provocative move” aimed at disrupting American counter-narcotics operations.
The incident came just two days after US forces carried out a deadly strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, killing 11 people. President Donald Trump claimed the boat was carrying narcotics and linked to a Venezuelan cartel that Washington has labeled a terrorist organization.
Legal experts have questioned the strike, noting that drug interdiction operations are typically handled by the Coast Guard, not the military. They also pointed out that the administration has not provided evidence that the boat posed an imminent threat or that the individuals onboard were legitimate military targets.
In a statement, the Defense Department warned Caracas against any attempt to “obstruct, deter, or interfere” with US counter-narcotics and counterterrorism missions. The New York Times reported that the Venezuelan aircraft involved were F-16s, which flew over the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham in the southern Caribbean. The ship did not respond.
Trump later posted a video online appearing to show the Venezuelan vessel being destroyed in an airstrike, fueling concerns of an escalation in the region. Analysts say that without clear justification, many will view the killings as an extrajudicial act by the United States.
