Ex-President Trump has asserted that US military assets targeted a "large installation" in Venezuela last week. But, the ex-leader offered no details on the exact purpose or location of the strike, and there has been no additional comment from his administration.
Unspecific Remarks Made During a Talk Show
"We just eliminated – I don't know if you saw – they have a big plant, where the vessels come from. Two nights ago, we destroyed it. So we hit them very hard," Trump reportedly informed GOP supporter and businessman John Catsimatidis in a recent interview.
Possible Significance of a Confirmed Strike
Should a US military action is verified, it would constitute the first ground target hit since the US Department of Defense initiated a expansion of American strike forces in the Caribbean region to halt drug traffickers that the former administration asserts operate under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
This stated purpose of the military buildup has since morphed into a blockade aimed at hindering the country's crude oil shipments.
Online Video and Official Statements
Trump has for weeks stated that American military units are poised to escalate the operations by hitting objectives within Venezuela, a move that would theoretically require congressional authorization.
Online video circulated online on 24 December appeared to show an explosion said to be from an industrial area in a Venezuelan state. Yet, the footage or the site in question has not been corroborated.
An official from Trump's team reportedly told a media outlet that the president was referring to a drug facility in his remarks.
Reaction and Current Military Situation
The Venezuelan government has issued no statement on the incident Trump referenced. Additionally, there have been no verified accounts from Venezuela concerning it.
The buildup of American forces in the area – a stance certain officials have termed a naval quarantine – constitutes the most expansive naval operation of Trump's presidency.
Sources have refrained from calling the action as a full blockade, but have stated that approximately 15,000 personnel are positioned across the Caribbean and the Gulf, including a aircraft carrier group, F-35 aircraft, and Coast Guard cutters to uphold current economic sanctions.
