Trump says US hit 'big facility' linked to alleged Venezuelan drug boats

December 30, 2025

President Donald Trump announced that the United States conducted a strike on a dock facility in Venezuela allegedly used for loading drug-trafficking vessels, marking what would be the first known US military operation inside Venezuelan territory if confirmed. According to media reports citing anonymous sources, the CIA carried out the drone strike, though Trump declined to confirm which agency was responsible and provided limited details about the location or timing. This operation represents a significant escalation in the Trump administration's pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the US has designated as leading a "narco-terrorist" organization and whose government has been labeled a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Who is affected

President Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan government
An unspecified number of casualties at the dock facility (no details provided)
More than 100 people killed in the 30 previous strikes on boats since September
Two individuals killed in the most recent boat strike on Monday
Two survivors from previous boat strikes (one Colombian and one Ecuadorean national)
Venezuelan citizens impacted by the naval blockade and oil tanker seizures
The CIA (reportedly carried out the operation)

What action is being taken

The US is conducting strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Pacific and Caribbean (30 strikes since September)
Washington has deployed a large military force to the Caribbean
The US is operating a naval blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers
US forces are seizing Venezuelan oil tankers (two seized recently, with a third being pursued)
The Trump administration is implementing a broader pressure campaign against the Maduro government

Why it matters

This represents a potential watershed moment in US-Venezuela relations, as a confirmed strike on Venezuelan soil would cross a significant threshold from targeting vessels in international waters to conducting military operations within another nation's sovereign territory. The escalation occurs despite counter-narcotic experts noting that Venezuela is a relatively minor player in global drug trafficking and mainly serves as a transit country, and despite the fact that fentanyl—a drug the administration cites as justification—is produced primarily in Mexico and enters the US through land borders. The lack of evidence provided for the drug-trafficking allegations, combined with the designation of Venezuela's government as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Trump's suggestion that these actions could force regime change, indicates this campaign may have broader geopolitical objectives beyond counter-narcotics operations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC