U.S. intelligence officials were responsible for a recent drone strike targeting a dock facility in Venezuela believed to be used by drug trafficking networks, according to two individuals familiar with the classified operation. The strike represents a notable escalation in Washington’s campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and marks the first publicly reported U.S. action on Venezuelan soil in the current operation.
The individuals, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Central Intelligence Agency carried out the strike last week. Venezuelan authorities have not publicly acknowledged the incident.
President Donald Trump first alluded to the operation during a radio interview in New York, stating that the United States had destroyed a major facility connected to maritime activity. He later told reporters that the target was a dock used to load boats carrying illegal drugs. Trump declined to specify whether the strike was conducted by the U.S. military or the CIA.
Neither the White House nor the CIA has offered official confirmation. A spokesperson for U.S. Special Operations Command said American special operations forces did not support the mission, including through intelligence assistance.
Escalation in Caribbean Operations
The strike follows months of heightened U.S. activity in the Caribbean region. Since late summer, Washington has increased its military and law enforcement presence, carrying out dozens of strikes on vessels suspected of transporting narcotics in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.
More recently, the administration has implemented measures resembling a maritime blockade, aimed at intercepting sanctioned oil shipments moving in and out of Venezuela. The alleged CIA-led strike signals a shift from targeting vessels at sea to conducting operations inside Venezuelan territory.
CNN was the first outlet to report on the intelligence agency’s role in the operation.
Covert Action and Congressional Oversight
U.S. law requires that covert CIA activities be reported to senior members of congressional intelligence committees. Analysts note that by relying on the CIA rather than the military, the administration may be seeking to limit political scrutiny while maintaining pressure on Maduro’s government.
Trump has previously acknowledged authorizing covert action in Venezuela, citing concerns over drug trafficking and migration. He has repeatedly accused Caracas of allowing criminal networks to operate freely and of facilitating the flow of narcotics into the United States via maritime routes.
Tensions With Caracas Remain High
Relations between Washington and Caracas have been strained for years. Maduro and several senior officials have been under U.S. federal indictment since 2020 on narcotics-related charges, which the Venezuelan government has consistently denied. Earlier this year, the U.S. Justice Department increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million.
Despite the reports of the strike, Maduro made no reference to the incident during a lengthy public address this week. His government has often dismissed U.S. allegations as politically motivated.
As regional tensions grow, the reported CIA operation underscores the increasingly aggressive approach taken by Washington toward Venezuela, raising questions about how far the standoff could escalate in the months ahead.
