Overview
- The USS Gerald R. Ford is moving from the Mediterranean toward the Caribbean with F/A‑18 Super Hornets and EA‑18 Growlers, escorted by cruisers and destroyers armed with cruise missiles.
- U.S. forces have already concentrated multiple warships, amphibious vessels and at least one nuclear-powered submarine near Venezuela, with F‑35s positioned in Puerto Rico and B‑52 and B‑1 sorties patrolling the region.
- The Pentagon says a recent U.S. airstrike in international waters killed three suspected narcotraffickers targeting a vessel believed to be smuggling drugs.
- President Trump has denied that an order to attack Venezuela is imminent, as observers describe the posture as sustained pressure rather than an announced invasion.
- Media reports say the CIA has probed potential Venezuelan military defections and that Maduro requested Russian weapons, while the Kremlin publicly called for the situation to remain peaceful.