Trump announces US strike on drug trafficking facilities in Venezuela
U.S. President Donald Trump said that U.S. forces had struck a facility in Venezuela that he said was used to load ships with drugs. The statement was made on 29 December before his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida. Trump called the incident part of a campaign to counter international drug trafficking and noted that a powerful explosion occurred in the port. This was reported by The Public with reference to DW.
He also confirmed his words, said earlier on the radio, about the destruction of a large facility or infrastructure related to the illegal transportation of drugs. At the same time, the president did not specify which US unit carried out the strike. The White House, the Pentagon and the CIA refrained from commenting on the possible ground operation
Venezuelan authorities also did not report a strike on land-based targets. Previously, the US military attacked mostly vessels that, according to intelligence, were used to transport drugs. Such actions regularly provoked a sharp reaction from Caracas
At the same time, social media reported an explosion at a chemical company's plant in the coastal city of Maracaibo, but the company said it was a fire caused by problems with electrical wiring. US media quoted sources as saying that earlier this month, a CIA drone allegedly struck a remote pier on the Venezuelan coast used by the Tren de Aragua criminal group. According to these reports, there were no casualties
Separately, the US Southern Command reported an attack on 29 December on a vessel in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean. According to the US military, intelligence confirmed that the ship was travelling along known drug trafficking routes and was involved in illegal operations. The strike killed two people, whom the US called drug traffickers. No US servicemen were injured in the operation
