The United States has initiated its most substantial military mobilization in the Caribbean region in decades, deploying approximately 15,000 personnel as part of an intensified counter-narcotics operation targeting Venezuelan drug trafficking networks. This strategic buildup represents the Trump administration’s most assertive military response to the narcotics trade in the Western Hemisphere.
Naval forces constitute the operation’s backbone, featuring an impressive armada of 11 warships led by the USS Gerald R. Ford—the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier. The carrier strike group is complemented by five destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, and two cruisers, creating an unparalleled maritime presence. The amphibious readiness group transports a full Marine expeditionary unit equipped with specialized aircraft including Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, Harrier jets, and various helicopter squadrons capable of executing both troop transport and precision strike missions.
The naval firepower includes Tomahawk cruise missiles with significant strike range capabilities, while a nuclear-powered submarine operates covertly in South American waters, further enhancing the mission’s strategic reach.
Air operations have similarly expanded with advanced aircraft deployed to Puerto Rico’s strategic airfields. The Marine Corps has stationed F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jets, while Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft provide electronic countermeasures capabilities. Most significantly, MQ-9 Reaper drones—capable of extended endurance and precision strikes—have been actively conducting surveillance and targeting operations.
The aerial component also includes P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and the heavily armed AC-130J Ghostrider gunship, capable of delivering precision firepower against ground targets. Demonstrative flights by B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers, including one mission explicitly labeled a ‘bomber attack demonstration,’ underscore the operation’s serious intent.
In a particularly provocative maneuver, US F/A-18 fighter jets recently conducted extended flights over the Gulf of Venezuela, bringing American airpower within 150 miles of Venezuelan territory—the closest approach since operations commenced.
The Pentagon maintains operational secrecy regarding specific troop distributions, but confirms that nearly 10,000 personnel are deployed aboard vessels, with additional support from various military branches and government agencies. This comprehensive military response represents the Trump administration’s tangible implementation of its narco-terrorism charges against Venezuelan leadership.