US Military Mobilizes to Seize Venezuela’s Key Ports and Airports
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency, the washington Examiner reported that while the Trump governance recently authorized lethal strikes against drug-smuggling boats from Venezuela, the scale of U.S. military deployments around the contry is far greater than needed for such limited operations.
Insider sources told Washington Examiner that current troop arrangements are strong enough to capture and maintain control over critical Venezuelan ports and airports. Such a move would allow the United States to establish a sustained, robust military presence with defensible positions inside Venezuelan territory.
The Pentagon has made little effort to conceal these preparations.
The report states: Although outlets like NBC News have reported that the Trump administration ordered preparations for precision strikes against targets linked to drug cartels in venezuela, the extensive U.S. military presence-including several warships, 10 F-35 fighters, a Marine expeditionary unit with 2,200 troops and aircraft, a naval submarine, and special forces-appears beyond what would be required for such limited scenarios.
Puerto Rico, just 520 miles from Caracas, has become the main hub for these deployments. Frequent flights from U.S. bases have brought additional equipment and personnel into the region. Furthermore, units from the 82nd Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment on American soil remain on an 18-hour alert ready for immediate deployment into combat zones.
The Examiner concluded: This level of American troop buildup can no longer be justified solely as an anti-drug trafficking measure. The scale is too large and costly; its capabilities indicate Washington might potentially be preparing for actions beyond mere shows of force.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino saeid on Thursday that at least five F-35 fighters had been identified-a threat he described as imperialist aggression daring enough to approach Venezuela’s shores.
He added: “I want you to know we are monitoring them closely-and I want you know this does not scare us. It does not scare the people of Venezuela.”
Speaking from an airbase, Padrino called their presence near Venezuela’s caribbean coastline disrespectful-a provocation threatening national security-and condemned what he described as continued U.S. military harassment targeting peace-seeking Venezuelans worldwide.
Venezuelan officials reported detecting American warplanes through their air defense systems and also air traffic control at Maiquetía International Airport-the main airport serving Caracas-and by identification via a commercial passenger jet nearby.
The ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense jointly stated that American warplanes were spotted within 75 kilometers (46.6 miles) “of our coast.”
the statement accused Washington of violating international law while endangering civilian aviation over Caribbean waters:
“We call on Peter Hegseth [U.S.] Under Secretary of Defense-to instantly cease its reckless, provocative militaristic stance undermining peace in the Caribbean.”
