Overview
- President Donald Trump acknowledged U.S. responsibility for destroying a pier area in Venezuela but withheld operational details as the White House, CIA and Pentagon declined comment.
- Reports from the New York Times and CNN attribute the operation to a CIA‑flown drone targeting a remote jetty U.S. officials link to Tren de Aragua; sources said no one was present at the site.
- The action is widely described as the first known U.S. operation inside Venezuela, extending a months‑long campaign that has destroyed suspected drug boats and seized or blocked tankers.
- Venezuelan officials, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, condemned the strike, and Caracas has not provided specifics on location, timing or damage.
- Earlier authorization for CIA operations by Trump and the covert nature of the strike are fueling congressional and regional questions about legal authority and next steps, with Mexico’s president urging greater UN involvement.