"Pentagon": Two Venezuelan fighter jets flew "provocatively" over a US military ship

SadaNews - The US Department of Defense announced that two Venezuelan military aircraft flew over a US Navy ship in international waters on Thursday, warning Caracas against any further escalation after this "extremely provocative step."

The "Pentagon" stated in a post on the X platform: "We strongly advise the cartel that runs Venezuela not to make any further attempts to obstruct, deter, or interfere with US military operations against drug trafficking and terrorism."

The Trump administration accuses Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a drug cartel.

Washington has deployed warships in the southern Caribbean amid rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

Trump announced that US forces attacked a drug-laden boat in the Caribbean on Tuesday, which had sailed from Venezuela heading towards the United States, resulting in the death of 11 "drug terrorists."

This attack represents a significant escalation by the United States, which had relied for decades on routine security operations instead of lethal force to seize drugs.

Washington accuses the Venezuelan president of managing a drug trafficking network and recently doubled the reward it had set for his arrest to $50 million.