Two Venezuelan military aircraft flew over US Navy ship in ‘highly provocative move,’ Pentagon says 

The recent incident involving two Venezuelan military aircraft flying over a US Navy ship conducting counter-drug operations has sparked tensions between the two countries. The Pentagon labeled the maneuver as “highly provocative” and accused the Maduro regime of attempting to interfere with US military operations in the region.

This comes just days after US forces targeted a drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea, killing 11 narco-terrorists. The Venezuelan military aircraft, reportedly armed F-16 fighter jets, flew near the USS Jason Dunham, an Aegis guided-missile destroyer, in international waters. The Pentagon warned the Maduro regime against further attempts to obstruct or interfere with US counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations.

In response to the escalating situation, the Navy deployed at least eight ships, including guided-missile destroyers, to the Caribbean Sea last month to combat drug smugglers. The Trump administration has designated Venezuelan crime syndicates Tren de Aragua and Cartel de Los Soles as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year.

The US has accused Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro of collaborating with drug cartels to traffic narcotics, including deadly fentanyl, into the country. The Justice Department even placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro’s head, citing his involvement in the drug trade. Attorney General Pam Bondi described Maduro as one of the largest narco traffickers in the world and a threat to national security.

Maduro, on the other hand, has condemned the US naval buildup in the region as the “biggest threat” to the continent in the last century. He accused the US of seeking regime change in Venezuela and portrayed the situation as a direct threat to his government.

The tensions between the US and Venezuela continue to escalate, with both sides accusing each other of provocative actions. The situation remains volatile, with the potential for further confrontations between the two nations.