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CIA Drone Strike Hits Alleged Drug Dock in Venezuela, Trump Claims Credit

The CIA conducted a drone strike on a remote dock facility in Venezuela allegedly used by drug traffickers to store and transfer narcotics. President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, calling it a strike on a "big facility" for drug shipments, marking the first known land-based military action by his administration inside Venezuela. The strike caused no casualties and is part of a broader U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean framed as an anti-narco-terrorism campaign. Venezuela has repeatedly accused Washington of seeking regime change, though President Maduro recently expressed conditional openness to dialogue.

Key Points: CIA Drone Strike on Venezuela Drug Dock: First Land Attack Under Trump

  • CIA drone strike in Venezuela
  • Target was remote drug trafficking dock
  • Part of US anti-narco campaign
  • Venezuela accuses US of regime change
3 min read

CIA strikes dock allegedly used by drug traffickers in Venezuela: US media

CIA drone strike targets Venezuelan dock used by drug traffickers, marking Trump administration's first known land operation inside the country. No casualties reported.

"We just knocked out... a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. - President Donald Trump"

Washington, Dec 30

The CIA carried out a drone strike earlier this month on a dock facility along the coast of Venezuela, marking the first known land strike by the Trump administration inside the oil-rich South American country, according to local media reports.

The strike targeted a remote dock that US officials believed was being used by a Venezuelan gang to store drugs and transfer them onto boats for shipment, CNN reported Monday night (local time), citing anonymous sources familiar with the operation.

No one was present at the site at the time of the strike, and there were no casualties, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting CNN.

US President Donald Trump said earlier on Monday that the US knocked out a "dock area" where alleged drug traffickers loaded the boats up with drugs in Venezuela last week.

If his words were accurate, it would be the first known land strike by the Trump administration against the oil-rich South American nation, reports Xinhua news agency.

"There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs," Trump told reporters in Florida. "So we hit all the boats, and now we hit the area -- it's an implementation area, that's where they implement, and that is no longer around."

He didn't reveal whether the Pentagon or another US entity carried out the operation.

Venezuela's government has yet to respond.

Trump first revealed the strike in an interview with WABC radio on Friday, saying that his administration knocked out "a big facility" allegedly producing illicit drugs in Venezuela.

"We just knocked out -- I don't know if you read or you saw -- they have a big plant or big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out, so we hit them very hard," Trump said in the phone interview.

For months, the United States has been ramping up its military presence in Caribbean waters near Venezuela as part of what the White House has described as an anti-narco-terrorism campaign. It has sunk about 30 alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific since September, causing more than 100 deaths.

Venezuela has repeatedly accused Washington of seeking regime change and military expansion in Latin America.

On Friday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States on the basis of mutual respect, provided that the United States refrains from interfering in Venezuela.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While the drug trade is a global menace, unilateral action like this is not the solution. It only escalates tensions. The focus should be on international cooperation and strengthening institutions, not cowboy-style strikes. The US seems to be flexing muscles in its backyard again.
A
Aman W
Interesting timing. With the US elections coming up, this feels like a show of strength for the domestic audience. The "war on drugs" narrative is powerful, but the real motives are often geopolitical. Venezuela's oil reserves are no secret. 🛢️
S
Sarah B
From an Indian perspective, we know the devastating impact of drug trafficking on our youth. If a facility was truly pumping out narcotics, disrupting it is a good thing. But the method matters. Was there no diplomatic channel? No effort to work with regional bodies?
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Vikram M
Maduro is right to call for dialogue based on mutual respect. The era of gunboat diplomacy should be over. The US should lead by example and follow international law. This kind of action just fuels anti-American sentiment across Latin America, and frankly, the world.
K
Karthik V
The report says no casualties, which is a relief. But "sinking 30 boats causing more than 100 deaths" since September? That's a staggering number of lives lost. The human cost of this "campaign" is being glossed over. Every life matters, no matter the allegation.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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