WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States carried out a strike on a drug-loading dock in Venezuela, marking what appears to be the first confirmed US land-based operation inside the country since Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said a dock area used to load boats with narcotics was destroyed in what he described as a significant blow to drug trafficking operations.
“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said. “We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area. That implementation area is no longer around.”
CIA Drone Strike Reported
Trump declined to specify which US agency carried out the operation, saying only that he knew “exactly who it was” but would not disclose details. When asked directly if the CIA was responsible, Trump avoided confirmation.
However, CNN, citing unnamed US officials, reported that the CIA carried out a drone strike earlier this month targeting a remote port facility on Venezuela’s coast.
According to the report, US intelligence believes the dock was being used by Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan criminal gang, to store narcotics and transfer them onto boats for international trafficking.
First Known US Strike on Venezuelan Soil
If confirmed, the operation would represent a major escalation in US counter-narcotics efforts against Venezuela. Trump has previously acknowledged authorizing the CIA to conduct covert operations aimed at disrupting drug networks linked to the Maduro government.
Last week, Trump hinted at an operation against what he called a “big facility” in Venezuela during a radio interview, though he did not provide details at the time.
Official Silence and Confusion
The CIA, White House, and Pentagon have so far declined to comment on the alleged strike. The Venezuelan government has also issued no official response, and there have been no independent confirmations from within Venezuela.
Separately, Venezuelan chemical company Primazol denied online speculation that a Christmas Eve fire at its plant in Zulia state was related to Trump’s remarks. The company said the fire was quickly extinguished and is under investigation.
Local residents told Reuters they heard an explosion, saw flames, and smelled chlorine, but Primazol rejected claims that the incident involved US action.
Rising US–Venezuela Tensions
The reported strike underscores escalating US–Venezuela tensions, as Washington continues to link Venezuela’s leadership to drug trafficking and organized crime. The Tren de Aragua gang has increasingly been identified by US officials as a major regional criminal threat.
With limited transparency from both governments, questions remain about the scope of US involvement and whether further operations could follow.
