🔗 Share this article US Forces Struck a 'Big Facility' in Venezuela, President Trump Asserted Lacking Offering Details. Former President Trump has asserted that US forces targeted a "large facility" in the South American country in recent days. But, the ex-leader withheld information about the exact nature or location of the strike, and officials have issued no further comment from his administration. Unspecific Comments Offered In a Talk Interview "US forces just destroyed – I don't know if you heard – they have a large facility, where the ships depart from. Recently, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard," Trump reportedly informed Republican donor and businessman John Catsimatidis in a recent interview. Potential Significance of a Confirmed Attack Should a US strike is verified, it would represent the initial land strike since the US Department of Defense began a increase of US military presence in the region to halt drug traffickers that the Trump administration claims operate under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The stated objective of the military buildup has transformed into a blockade aimed at disrupting the nation's oil exports. Online Footage and Official Statements Trump has for weeks warned that US forces are ready to widen the military campaign by striking targets within Venezuela, a strategy that would theoretically require legislative authorization. A clip posted online on 24 December appeared to show an detonation allegedly from an industrial zone in a Venezuelan state. Yet, the video or the facility has not been independently verified. An administration official allegedly informed a media outlet that the former president was referring to a narco-trafficking site in his comments. Reaction and Current Military Posture The Maduro government has remained silent on the incident the former president referenced. Additionally, there have been no corroborating news from Venezuela regarding it. The presence of US military in the area – a position some have called a sea blockade – represents the most expansive maritime enforcement action of his time in office. Administration officials have refrained from describing the operation as a full blockade, but have acknowledged that around 15,000 troops are stationed across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, including a aircraft carrier group, F-35 aircraft, and Coast Guard cutters to uphold current sanctions.