Breaking: Is the U.S. Ready to Attack Venezuela?

According to the political news service of Saed News, four U.S. officials told Reuters that the United States is preparing to launch a new phase of operations related to Venezuela in the coming days, as President Donald Trump’s administration increases pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Reuters could not confirm the exact timing or scope of these operations, nor whether Trump has made a final decision to act.

Reports of potential action have increased in recent weeks as the U.S. military has deployed forces to the Caribbean amid deteriorating relations with Venezuela.

Two U.S. officials said that a covert operation would likely be the first component of the new effort against Maduro.

All four officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of potential U.S. actions, emphasized the clandestine nature of the plans. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House, while the CIA declined to comment.

A senior U.S. administration official on Saturday did not rule out any possibilities regarding Venezuela. Speaking anonymously, the official said, “President Trump is prepared to use all elements of American power to prevent a flood of narcotics from entering our country and to bring perpetrators to justice.”

The Trump administration is exploring options related to Venezuela to counter what it calls Maduro’s role in supplying “deadly illegal drugs” to Americans—a claim Maduro denies.

Two U.S. officials told Reuters that options under consideration include efforts to overthrow Maduro. In power since 2013, Maduro asserts that Trump seeks to remove him and that Venezuelan citizens and the military would resist any such attempt.

Military buildup in the Caribbean has continued for months, and Trump has authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela. On Friday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned major airlines of “potentially hazardous conditions” when flying over Venezuela, urging caution. Following the alert, three international carriers canceled outbound flights from Venezuela on Saturday.

U.S. officials said the administration intends to designate the “De Los Soles” cartel as a “foreign terrorist organization” on Monday due to its alleged role in trafficking illegal drugs into the United States. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading the cartel—a claim Caracas denies as unfounded.

The same U.S. officials confirmed that talks have taken place between Caracas and Washington. It remains unclear whether these discussions might affect the timing or scope of U.S. operations.

The U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, entered the Caribbean on November 16 with its strike group, joining at least seven other warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, and F-35 fighter jets.

Since September, U.S. forces have carried out at least 21 attacks against boats suspected of carrying narcotics in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in at least 83 deaths. Human rights groups have condemned these attacks as extrajudicial killings of civilians, while some U.S. allies have voiced growing concerns over potential violations of international law by Washington.