United States President Donald Trump’s marketing campaign in opposition to “narcoterrorists” has reworked the Caribbean into a brand new battlefield.
Since August, Washington has deployed 1000’s of troops, warships and plane throughout the area, and reopened army bases in Puerto Rico and carried out drills, in what analysts describe as the biggest US presence in Latin America in many years.
In September, the US started a sequence of strikes on Venezuelan boats it claims have been trafficking medication to the US, with the newest assault on Friday killing six folks on board. Final week, Trump announced that he had authorised covert CIA operations in Venezuela and that he was even mulling a land assault.
Nevertheless, on Thursday, Trump denied that each one this quantities to a declaration of warfare on Venezuela.
“Nicely, I don’t assume we’re going to essentially ask for a declaration of warfare,” he mentioned.
“I believe we’re simply going to kill folks which might be bringing medication into our nation. OK? We’re going to kill them,” Trump mentioned.
What number of Venezuelan boats has the US attacked?
The US army has carried out a minimum of ten lethal strikes on vessels off Venezuela’s coast, and within the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean since September 2, marking essentially the most intense American army exercise in Latin America because the US invasion of Panama in 1989.
The operations, carried out below the authority of the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), have killed a minimum of 43 people, in accordance with statements by Trump and senior defence officers.
The map beneath exhibits the approximate areas of a minimum of six of those assaults, in accordance with knowledge compiled by the Armed Battle Location and Occasion Information (ACLED). Most of those assaults occurred near the Venezuelan coast and in worldwide waters – elevating questions concerning the legality of the US’s use of drive, particularly when no imminent risk was current.
What’s SOUTHCOM?
US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), headquartered in Doral, Florida, is certainly one of 11 unified combatant instructions of the US Division of Struggle (renamed by Trump from the Division of Protection). It oversees operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, together with the defence of the Panama Canal.
The opposite 10 instructions cowl totally different areas or features comparable to North America (NORTHCOM), Europe (EUCOM), Africa (AFRICOM), the Center East (CENTCOM), and the Indo-Pacific (INDOPACOM), whereas others have international obligations like cyber operations (CYBERCOM), area (SPACECOM), nuclear deterrence (STRATCOM), strategic logistics (TRANSCOM) and Particular Operations forces worldwide (SOCOM).
Whereas SOUTHCOM’s present acknowledged mission is to counter narcotics flows into the US, its rising presence close to Venezuela has been interpreted as an indication of Trump’s strategic curiosity within the area.
What army property have been deployed?
The army buildup is appreciable and consists of ready-to-deploy expeditionary forces, US naval and air property, and particular operations items.
Al Jazeera’s Defence Editor, Alex Gatopoulos, mentioned, “It’s already the largest build-up of US army property within the area for many years. The current drive is oriented for land assault and never for counter-narcotics operations.
Expeditionary forces
The Iwo Jima Amphibious Prepared Group (ARG) kinds the expeditionary core of the US presence within the Caribbean. This group of Navy ships carrying marines, autos and helicopters, named after the well-known World Struggle II battle of Iwo Jima, is designed to land on a shore rapidly, usually in emergencies or fight conditions.
Together with the USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28), the expeditionary drive homes 4,500 sailors and marines, together with 2,200 marines educated for amphibious assault and speedy response missions.
The group has additionally carried out live-fire drills on board the Iwo Jima and amphibious touchdown rehearsals off St Croix, the biggest of the US Virgin Islands and a key coaching web site for US forces.
Naval property
The fleet can be strengthened with a number of naval property. Late on Friday, the US introduced it is going to ship an plane provider strike group to Latin America, in a significant escalation of its army presence.
A spokesperson for the US army mentioned that Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth ordered the USS Gerald Ford and 5 destroyers in its accompanying strike group to deploy to the area.
As of September 25, SOUTHCOM’s process drive consists of 10 main warships and a number of other help vessels, exceeding the quantity usually assigned to the area. Amongst them are 4 floor combatants and one submarine able to carrying Tomahawk long-range missiles.
The destroyers, USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), USS Stockdale (DDG-106) and USS Gravely (DDG-107), are multi-role warships armed with Tomahawk land-attack missiles in addition to superior anti-air and anti-submarine techniques. All three have been reportedly deployed to the Crimson Sea in 2024 to counter Houthi assaults within the area.
![The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. [Martin Bernetti/AFP]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/000_73839WE-1757796998.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C472&quality=80)
Alongside them, the USS Newport Information (SSN-750), a nuclear-powered quick assault submarine, offers capabilities for strikes, antiship and antisubmarine operations, in addition to intelligence, reconnaissance and particular operations.
There are additionally a number of noncombatant help ships, in addition to the US Coast Guard.
Air property
The air part deployed below SOUTHCOM consists of among the most superior plane within the US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Pressure.
Gatopoulos states that, added to the assorted deployments “have been the intimidation techniques of flying strategic bombers near Venezuelan airspace… The B-52 is designed to destroy land-based targets, from a ways away, often utilizing long-range cruise missiles.”
These heavy bombers can fly at altitudes of as much as 50,000 toes (15,000 metres) and carry cruise missiles or nuclear-capable weapons. Additionally they help naval operations by monitoring the ocean, concentrating on ships and laying mines.
“The B-1 strategic bomber is designed to penetrate enemy airspace to ship 37 tonnes of ordnance onto its goal. Neither jet is in any method helpful for stopping drug-smuggling. This plus President Trump’s public announcement to the CIA to begin operations inside Venezuela tells me they’ve one thing very totally different in thoughts, particularly to destabilise the Maduro authorities,” says Gatopoulos.
“The newest improvement, the ordering of the Gerald Ford Service Strike Group to the Caribbean additional cements this concept. The Service group is immensely highly effective, bringing with it 75+ fighter jets, helicopters and early warning plane. The USS Ford can be accompanied by three missile destroyers, every able to attacking targets deep inside Venezuela – an enormous quantity of firepower.”
There are additionally a minimum of 10 F-35 stealth fighters – extremely versatile jets which may strike, combat and collect intelligence whereas remaining onerous to detect by radar.
MQ-9 Reaper drones are remotely piloted plane used for surveillance and precision strikes, with a variety of 1,851km (1,150 miles) and speeds as much as 370km/h (230mph). They’ll carry as much as 16 Hellfire missiles, permitting them to strike a number of targets in a single mission.
CH-53E Tremendous Stallions are heavy-lift helicopters that transfer troops and gear from ship to shore. They’ll carry 16 tonnes of cargo 80km (50 miles) earlier than returning to base.
Different air property embrace P-8 Poseidon patrol plane, MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, AC-130J gunships, and varied help and reconnaissance plane.
Particular forces and troops
SOUTHCOM’s particular operations part consists of MH-60 Black Hawks and AH-MH-6 Little Chook helicopters for troop insertion and reconnaissance. The MC Ocean Dealer, which is a part of the deployment, acts as a cellular ahead base for these items.
About 10,000 troops have additionally been despatched to the US territory of Puerto Rico, whereas the White Home has authorised the CIA to hold out covert operations inside Venezuela.
How has Venezuela responded?
On September 4, two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew over the USS Jason Dunham in what was seen as a extremely provocative act, in accordance with Washington. In response, the US deployed 10 F-35B fighters and two MQ-9 Reapers to Puerto Rico.
On September 17, Venezuela launched large-scale naval and air workouts, whereas President Nicolas Maduro ordered the mobilisation of the Bolivarian militia, a reserve drive which is a part of Venezuela’s armed forces, the Bolivarian Nationwide Armed Forces (FANB), and referred to as for tens of millions of volunteers to defend the nation’s sovereignty.
Whereas President Trump insists that US operations within the Caribbean Sea are lawful counter-narcotics missions, Venezuelan officers regard them as an escalation in tensions and assaults on vessels as a violation of worldwide regulation. It says there was no proof that focused vessels have posed any imminent risk.
