September 5, 2025 – The Pentagon has accused Venezuela of staging a dangerous military maneuver after two Venezuelan fighter jets flew close to a U.S. Navy vessel operating in international waters on September 4. The Department of Defense described the incident as an “extremely provocative move.”
The confrontation comes amid escalating tensions over Washington’s deployment of warships in the Caribbean, which the U.S. says are part of anti-narcotics and counterterrorism operations.
“We strongly advise the cartel leading Venezuela not to attempt any further efforts to obstruct or interfere with U.S. military operations,” the Pentagon warned in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Rising U.S.–Venezuela Tensions
- U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro of running a drug cartel and backing terrorist organizations.
- On September 2, U.S. forces attacked a vessel in the Caribbean allegedly transporting drugs. According to Trump, the boat was linked to Tren de Aragua, a group the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization, resulting in 11 fatalities.
During a tour of Latin America, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Washington’s hardline stance:
“Now, they will help us find these people, and we will strike them if that’s the only way,” Rubio said in Quito, Ecuador.
In Mexico, Rubio emphasized that Trump had formally designated Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles as “narcoterrorist organizations.”
“If you’re on a boat full of cocaine or fentanyl bound for the U.S., you are a direct threat to America,” he added.
Maduro’s Response
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the U.S. actions and mobilized the Venezuelan armed forces, which count 340,000 soldiers plus millions of reservists. He denounced Washington’s escalation as “the greatest threat our continent has faced in 100 years.”
“If Venezuela were to be attacked, we would immediately enter a period of armed conflict,” Maduro warned foreign journalists.
The latest incident with the Venezuelan jets suggests the standoff could spiral into a military confrontation, raising fears of a wider regional crisis.
