a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said. “That area is no longer around.” The president did not specify the exact location of the strike, nor did he identify which agency carried it out. However, US media outlets, citing officials familiar with the operation, reported that the attack may have been conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency. The US military later announced a separate strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people, though it did not disclose further details. Venezuela’s government has not publicly confirmed that a strike occurred on its territory, nor has it issued an official response to Trump’s remarks. Rising tensions and disputed claims Relations between Washington and Caracas have deteriorated sharply in recent months as the Trump administration intensified military operations against what it describes as Venezuelan drug trafficking networks. Since September, the US has carried out more than two dozen strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific, actions that have reportedly resulted in more than 100 deaths. The US government claims the operations are necessary to counter narcotics trafficking, which it has framed as a national security threat. However, it has not publicly presented evidence linking the targeted vessels or facilities to drug smuggling. Independent reports have also questioned the claim that Venezuela is a major source of drugs entering the United States. Caracas has repeatedly rejected the accusations, calling the US actions illegal and a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty. Venezuelan officials argue that drug trafficking allegations are being used as a pretext for regime change and foreign intervention. Military buildup and legal concerns The reported strike comes amid a major US military buildup in the region, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford , F-35 fighter jets, and approximately 15,000 troops. Trump has previously warned that US operations could extend beyond maritime targets to include land-based sites. Legal experts and United Nations human rights officials have raised concerns that US strikes on vessels in international waters, as well as the partial naval blockade imposed on Venezuelan oil tankers, may violate international law. UN experts have described the blockade as an act of illegal armed aggression and urged the US Congress to intervene. Is oil the real issue? Analysts say Venezuela’s vast oil reserves may be a central factor behind Washington’s aggressive posture. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves and was once a major supplier of crude oil to the United States. That relationship deteriorated after the nationalisation of the oil industry under former President Hugo Chávez and further collapsed following US sanctions imposed in 2017 and expanded in 2019. Stephen Miller, a senior aide to President Trump, recently argued that Venezuela’s oil industry was built by American investment and described its nationalisation as “theft,” comments that have fueled speculation that access to energy resources is a key motivation behind US policy. While US and British companies played a role in developing Venezuela’s oil sector, international law recognises the country’s sovereign right to control its natural resources. Risk of broader conflict Analysts are divided over whether the reported strike signals an imminent war. Elias Ferrer, a Caracas-based analyst at Orinoco Research, said the situation could either escalate or de-escalate depending on whether the operation was conducted with prior approval from Venezuelan authorities — a possibility he did not rule out, citing recent contacts between Trump and President Nicolás Maduro. Others are more skeptical. Alan McPherson, a professor of Latin American studies at Temple University, called the strike a “serious escalation” and warned it could mark the beginning of a war of choice. “This appears to be militarily unnecessary and politically driven,” McPherson said. “The administration’s objective is to remove President Maduro from power.” Congressional limits Under the US Constitution, Congress holds the authority to declare war, though presidents have frequently ordered military action without formal declarations. Earlier this month, lawmakers narrowly defeated a bipartisan resolution that would have restricted military action against Venezuela without congressional approval. While Congress could attempt to block funding or deny authorisation, analysts say the current political makeup makes such action unlikely. As tensions continue to rise, the international community is watching closely to see whether Washington and Caracas move toward de-escalation — or drift closer to open conflict.