US preparing options for military strikes on drug targets on Venezuelan soil

U.S. military officials are finalizing plans for strikes against drug traffickers in Venezuela, with operations possibly starting within weeks, four anonymous sources—two U.S. officials and two others—disclosed. The Trump administration’s escalation targets narco-operations, bypassing diplomacy. Trump recently claimed on Truth Social that U.S. forces struck three Venezuelan boats allegedly carrying drugs and traffickers, though only one strike yielded confirmed drugs, per Dominican and U.S. Embassy officials.

The plans involve drone strikes on cartel leaders and drug labs, driven by Maduro’s inaction on drug flows, sources say. "Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs.