🔗 Share this article US Military Struck a 'Large Plant' in Venezuela, President Trump Asserted Without Offering Specifics. Ex-President Trump has stated that US forces targeted a "significant plant" in Venezuela last week. However, the ex-leader did not specify the exact purpose or location of the target, and officials have issued no additional comment from his camp. Vague Remarks Offered During a Radio Show "We just knocked out – I'm not sure if you read – they have a major complex, where the vessels come from. The other night, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard," Trump reportedly informed Republican donor and businessman John Catsimatidis in a recent interview. Possible Implications of a Verified Strike Should a US strike were to be verified, it would constitute the first attack on Venezuelan soil since the Pentagon began a buildup of American strike forces in the Caribbean region to disrupt narco-trafficking operations that the former administration alleges operate under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The original objective of the military buildup has evolved into a blockade aimed at hindering the country's oil exports. Social Media Footage and Administration Statements Trump has for weeks stated that US forces are poised to escalate the military campaign by striking targets inside Venezuela, a tactic that would theoretically require congressional approval. Online video shared online on 24 December purportedly showed an explosion said to be from an industrial area in Zulia state. However, the footage or the site in question has not been confirmed by third parties. An administration official allegedly told a news network that the president was referring to a drug facility in his remarks. Response and Ongoing Military Posture The Caracas administration has issued no statement on the event the former president referenced. Additionally, there have been no corroborating news from Venezuela concerning it. The buildup of American forces in the region – a position certain officials have referred to as a maritime "quarantine" – constitutes the broadest maritime enforcement action of his time in office. Officials have refrained from calling the operation as a blockade, but have confirmed that around 15,000 troops are stationed across the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, including a aircraft carrier group, advanced fighter jets, and law enforcement vessels to uphold current economic sanctions.