The United States conducted a covert drone strike on a port facility along Venezuela's coast, reportedly marking the first known US attack within Venezuelan territory, CNN reported. The operation, carried out by the CIA, targeted a remote dock allegedly used by the criminal group Tren de Aragua to store drugs and load them onto boats for trafficking. No casualties occurred, as the site was reportedly empty during the strike.

The operation had not been publicly disclosed and represents a notable escalation in US actions against Venezuela. CNN cited sources claiming that US Special Operations Forces provided intelligence for the strike, a claim denied by the US Special Operations Command. Colonel Allie Weiskopf, spokesperson for Special Operations Command, stated, “Special Operations did not support this operation, including intel support,” CNN reported.

US President Donald Trump indirectly confirmed the strike in a media interview last Friday, without providing full details. On Monday, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, Trump described hitting a dock used for loading boats with drugs but declined to specify whether the CIA or military carried out the strike. He said, “There was a major explosion in the dock area… we hit all the boats, and now we hit the area… and that is no longer around.” When pressed about the responsible party, he responded, “I know exactly who it was, but I don't want to say who it was. But you know, it was along the shore.”

Trump initially referred to the strike as hitting “a big plant, or a big facility… we knocked that out.” The strike comes amid increasing US pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with Washington intensifying efforts to weaken his government, including threats of direct attacks. In recent months, the US has destroyed over 30 boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific as part of a counter-narcotics campaign conducted in international waters. This latest strike, however, represents a shift, being carried out on Venezuelan soil. Additionally, Trump has imposed a blockade on Venezuelan oil tankers, particularly those under US sanctions, increasing economic pressure on Caracas.