U.S. Conducts B-1 Bomber Flights Near Venezuela Amid Military Buildup

The U.S. military conducted a flight of two B-1 Lancer bombers near the coast of Venezuela on Thursday, marking the second such mission in a week. The bombers departed from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and flew through the Caribbean, approaching Venezuelan airspace while remaining in international territory. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the training flight took place in the Caribbean.

This operation follows a similar mission last week involving B-52 Stratofortress bombers, which were accompanied by Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighters based in Puerto Rico. The Pentagon described that mission as a "bomber attack demonstration."

The U.S. has been increasing its military presence in the Caribbean, deploying assets including eight warships, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and an F-35 fighter squadron. A submarine has also been confirmed to be operating in the waters off South America.

President Donald Trump addressed the recent B-1 flight, stating, "it's false, but we're not happy with Venezuela for a lot of reasons. Drugs being one of them."

Since early September, the U.S. military has conducted lethal strikes on vessels in the waters off Venezuela, targeting what the administration claims are drug-trafficking operations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reported that the military had conducted its ninth strike, killing three people in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This followed a strike the previous night that killed two people, bringing the overall death toll from the strikes to at least 37.

Hegseth compared the administration's crackdown on drug trafficking to the post-9/11 war on terrorism, stating, "Our message to these foreign terrorist organizations is we will treat you like we have treated al-Qaeda. We will find you, we will map your networks, we will hunt you down, and we will kill you."

The U.S. military's actions have raised speculation about potential efforts to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S. However, the administration has not confirmed any plans for direct intervention in Venezuela.