President Donald Trump said the United States carried out a strike on a dock area in Venezuela allegedly used to load boats with drugs, marking what appears to be the first acknowledged U.S. land operation in the country during an intensified pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
Speaking on Monday, Trump described a “major explosion” at a site where boats were allegedly prepared for drug shipments, but he did not disclose the location or the agency responsible.
He added that the strike followed earlier actions against suspected drug trafficking vessels and suggested a shift toward targeting onshore infrastructure.
No U.S. national security agency has publicly confirmed the details, and the Venezuelan government has not commented on the incident.
There have been no independent reports from Venezuelan state media confirming a strike.
Asked whether the Central Intelligence Agency carried out the operation, Trump declined to specify, saying, “I don't want to say that. I know exactly who it was but I don't want to say who it was.”
CNN and the New York Times, citing sources, reported that the CIA conducted a drone strike earlier this month on a remote port facility believed by U.S. officials to be used by the Tren de Aragua gang to store and move drugs.
Trump has previously authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela and last week alluded to a U.S. action against a “big facility” during a radio interview.
U.S. agencies including the White House, Pentagon, and CIA declined to comment when questioned by Reuters and the BBC.
The absence of official confirmation has raised questions about whether the operation was conducted covertly, limiting public disclosure.
The reported strike comes as Washington escalates pressure on Maduro through military and economic measures tied to counter-narcotics efforts.
Since September, the U.S. has carried out dozens of strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in more than 100 deaths, according to U.S. officials.
Congressional Democrats have questioned aspects of those operations, including a September incident involving multiple strikes that killed 11 people.
The Trump administration has also overseen a significant U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and seized oil tankers linked to Venezuela.
U.S. officials argue these actions target drug trafficking and illicit financing, while Maduro has accused Washington of using such claims to justify efforts to undermine his government.