Trump administration considers air strikes on Venezuelan airports and naval bases

The administration of President Donald Trump aims to increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom it accuses of organizing drug trafficking into the US.

American officials familiar with the matter, speaking to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), stated that the White House is preparing air strikes against targets in Venezuela that are “within the sphere of influence of drug cartels and the Maduro regime.”

Targets include airports and naval bases

One official said the targets include Venezuelan naval bases and airports, including runways believed to be used for illicit drug shipments.

According to the report, Trump, who signaled attacks on land targets in Venezuela a week ago, has not yet made a final decision, but the targets have already been identified.

White House Spokesperson Anna Kelly stated on the matter, “President Trump has clearly conveyed his message to Maduro: Stop sending drugs and criminals to our country. The President is ready to use all of America’s resources to stop the flow of drugs.”

Venezuela’s Russian-made air defense systems are active

The WSJ noted that the Venezuelan military’s inventory includes modern air defense systems, among them numerous Russian-made systems.

It is estimated that Venezuela has acquired four to six Russian-made S-300 air defense missile systems. According to experts, these systems and portable anti-aircraft weapons are capable of detecting and shooting down American fighter jets.

The report also mentioned that the US Air Force has recently intensified its flights near the country’s borders to map Venezuela’s air defense systems.

Last week, Maduro announced that Venezuela possesses approximately 5,000 Russian-made portable Igla-S air defense missile systems, which have been deployed to “key air defense positions.”

Meanwhile, according to data from flight tracking services, a Russian military aircraft under US sanctions landed in Caracas last weekend.

US has increased its military presence in the Caribbean

Since the beginning of September, the US military has conducted a series of strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea alleged to be carrying drugs. These strikes resulted in the deaths of approximately 40 people, and the Pentagon announced that some of the deceased were Venezuelan citizens.

Last week, Trump sent an aircraft carrier strike group, accompanied by assault ships, to the Caribbean.

Prior to potential attacks on land targets, the Trump administration launched a campaign aimed at portraying Maduro as the leader of a “drug trafficking and terrorist organization” seeking to flood the US with drugs.

Maduro denies these accusations, arguing that the US’s real goal is to seize the country’s natural resources, including oil, natural gas, and gold.

In response to these developments, the Venezuelan President announced that he has mobilized 15,000 troops.