President Donald Trump publicly stated recently that U.S. commanders have the authority to shoot down hostile Venezuelan (or any other) aircraft if they pose a danger to American military.
Some serious military operations are going on as the largest concentration of U.S. naval power is going on in the Caribbean since the 1960s.
This build-up arrives after U.S. forces destroyed three suspected Venezuelan cartel-linked drug boats in September, killing 17 people.
This week, helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment were tracked operating near Venezuela’s northern coast.
This unit is known as the “Night Stalkers.” The unit is recognized for its low-visibility precision operations. It was detected roughly 90 miles offshore. This suggests potential support for a Special Forces mission or contingency responses.
A recent operation was conducted jointly with the Dominican Republic. They reported recovering more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from a destroyed vessel. This was deemed the first such bilateral counternarcotics action with U.S. forces.
Such operations are conducted under executive orders classifying several Latin American cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.
This designation allows the use of military force against them. Analysts have emphasized that these strikes are the first publicly acknowledged U.S. lethal airstrikes in Latin America since the Panama invasion in 1989.
In September 2025, US Special Forces confirmed the MV Ocean Trader, designed to blend in with ordinary merchant ships while secretly supporting covert operations, has joined the growing build-up of American warships in the Carribean.
The U.S. has also doubled the bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million. This move further links counternarcotics activity with political pressure on Caracas.
Isla de Margarita is located in Venezuela’s Nueva Esparta State off the northeastern coast. It is the country’s largest island. It is also a major tourist destination known as the “Pearl of the Caribbean.”
It has a population of around 500,000. The area features duty-free shopping zones and beaches. It also has a history of attracting Lebanese immigrants since the early 20th century.
These communities have provided a fertile ground for Hezbollah’s operations. They have transformed the island into a logistical hub for illicit activities. These activities are linked to Iran-backed networks.
Margarita’s strategic position is advantageous. It is close to international shipping routes and has a status as a free trade zone. These factors facilitate smuggling, money laundering, and paramilitary training. All this happens under the protection of the Maduro regime.
The “ghost ship,” Ocean Trader, is in the area.
• Destroyers USS Stockdale, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Gravely are also present.
• The cruiser USS Lake Erie and the Littoral Combat Ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul participate as well.
• The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group is operating here too. It comprises USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale.
• The Los Angeles-class submarine USS Newport News is also deployed. This deployment brings the total force in the region to approximately 4,500 personnel. This includes the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked across amphibious ships.
Today, there are additional unknown assets either in the region or on their way.
On at least two occasions, Venezuelan F-16s have flown close to these U.S. ships, which Washington described as provocative.
U.S. intelligence indicates that Margarita is Iran’s “gateway” to Latin America, with Hezbollah’s presence enabling regime survival amid economic collapse.
Maduro publicly backed Hezbollah against Israel, calling Benjamin Netanyahu a “terrorist.”
By summer 2025, reports emerged of flights transporting Iranian officials to Margarita for refuge, amid fears of Israeli reprisals. Local media described it as “revolutionary tourism” for IRGC personnel.
In September 2025, Canadian investigations linked Margarita-based cocaine networks to Hezbollah and Iranian operatives, involving a lethal kingpin’s syndicate.
Today, ongoing intel of IRGC/Hezbollah training camps persists. Venezuelan youth are being radicalized on the island. They receive advanced training in Iran.
Intel sees this as part of a broader “invasion” by foreign actors (China, Cuba, and Iran).
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I had no idea the war on the Venezuelan drug cartel had escalated so much. Neither did I know that Hezbollah and Iranian operatives were involved. Thanks for the update, Jack. 🙂
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I didn’t know either, but it’s very good to see that our government does, and for the first time is truly engaging in this “war on drugs” instead of just mouthing the phrase. What a nasty nest of hornets, every corruption you can think of must be ongoing in those pretty little islands. Another thing to target in prayer! The evil that’s being exposed day after day is truly a flood.
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GREAT READ, THANKS
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