Two venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew near the US guided-missile destroyer Jason Dunham in the southern Caribbean Sea in what the Pentagon described as a 'highly provocative' maneuver, reported the Times of India.
The flyover occurred days after a US military strike destroyed a Venezuelan boat allegedly carrying narcotics, killing 11 people. Washington said the vessel was operated by a criminal group linked to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a statement posted on X, the US defence department warned Venezuela against interfering with counter-narcotics and counterterrorism operations. It accused the Maduro regime of obstructing efforts to dismantle cartel activity in the region.
Caracas responded by accusing the US of extrajudicial killings, claiming the strike violated due process. The incident has further strained relations between the two countries, prompting the deployment of additional US naval assets to the area.
According to The New York Times, President Donald Trump last month signed a classified directive authorising military action against Latin American drug cartels. The move has drawn criticism from legal experts and regional leaders.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the strike, saying cartels would only be deterred by force. Mr Maduro accused Mr Rubio of attempting to provoke a wider conflict involving the US.
SeaNews Turkey
The flyover occurred days after a US military strike destroyed a Venezuelan boat allegedly carrying narcotics, killing 11 people. Washington said the vessel was operated by a criminal group linked to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a statement posted on X, the US defence department warned Venezuela against interfering with counter-narcotics and counterterrorism operations. It accused the Maduro regime of obstructing efforts to dismantle cartel activity in the region.
Caracas responded by accusing the US of extrajudicial killings, claiming the strike violated due process. The incident has further strained relations between the two countries, prompting the deployment of additional US naval assets to the area.
According to The New York Times, President Donald Trump last month signed a classified directive authorising military action against Latin American drug cartels. The move has drawn criticism from legal experts and regional leaders.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the strike, saying cartels would only be deterred by force. Mr Maduro accused Mr Rubio of attempting to provoke a wider conflict involving the US.
SeaNews Turkey
