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Venezuelan jets fly over US destroyer deployed near its coast

Iran Press TV

Friday, 05 September 2025 9:50 AM

Two Venezuelan fighter jets have flown over a US Navy destroyer in the Caribbean, a move viewed as a show of force as Washington expands its provocative military presence in the region.

According to reports, the jets buzzed over the guided-missile destroyer Jason Dunham. The US ship did not respond.

The Pentagon later described the maneuver as "provocative" and said the aircraft attempted to interfere with what it called counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations.

It further warned Caracas not to "pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter or interfere" in US military operations near Venezuelan borders.

Caracas has long rejected such allegations, arguing that Washington is exaggerating drug-related claims to justify its military presence near Venezuelan waters.

President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly insisted that the US deployment represents "the biggest threat in 100 years" to the continent and has warned that Venezuela will declare "a republic in arms" if attacked.

The flyover came just two days after a US strike on a Venezuelan boat in the Caribbean killed 11 people. Washington claimed the vessel carried members of the Tren de Aragua gang and was transporting drugs.

Maduro's government called the incident an "extrajudicial killing." Legal experts also questioned whether the attack met international standards of necessity and proportionality, as no evidence was offered that the US faced imminent danger, or even if the victims were armed.

The episode unfolded against a backdrop of growing US naval activity in the region. In recent weeks, eight American ships, including the USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale, have entered the Caribbean with more than 4,500 troops and thousands of missiles.

Washington says the deployment is intended to curb Latin American drug cartels, yet critics question whether such a large-scale presence is proportionate to the stated goal. Maduro has suggested the build-up is designed to weaken or overthrow his government.

Tensions between the two countries have steadily escalated. The Trump administration doubled a reward to $50 million in August for information leading to Maduro's arrest on alleged drug trafficking charges. It also moved nuclear-capable submarines and surveillance aircraft into the region.

Venezuela and the US severed diplomatic ties in 2019 when Washington recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president. Sanctions followed, deepening the country's economic crisis. Maduro, however, won the elections last year and was sworn in for a third term.

Caracas has responded to US measures by mobilizing millions of reservists, boosting maritime patrols, and suspending drone flights nationwide. Maduro maintains that his government seeks peace but warns that "blackmail and threats" will not force Venezuela into submission.

While the Pentagon portrays Venezuelan maneuvers as hostile, Maduro's administration argues that it is Washington's military build-up—rather than Caracas's defensive actions—that risks destabilizing the region.

Venezuela has also appealed to the United Nations to demand "the immediate cessation of the US military deployment in the Caribbean."