The United States carried out a drone strike on a port near Venezuela, marking the first known U.S. attack on a target inside the country, according to several media organizations. The Trump administration, however, offered few details on the strike or what took place.
President Donald Trump on Monday suggested the strike hit a dock he believes is used to load drugs onto boats. He stopped short when pressed by reporters to confirm whether the facility was hit by the CIA or the military.
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The strike comes after Trump has publicly threatened land-based attacks as part of his effort to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. It also follows the administration’s increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to step down.
"There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs," Trump said. "They load the boats up with drugs 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."
This is the first publicly known strike on Venezuelan soil after months of U.S. operations targeting alleged drug trafficking boats in international waters.
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On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced new sanctions, including measures against a Venezuelan company accused of aiding in Iranian drone sales. The move follows a series of sanctions targeting Venezuela, including Maduro and his relatives, and the seizure of vessels suspected of carrying sanctioned oil.
