US military planes patrol near Venezuela as threats escalate
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US military planes are patrolling airspace near Venezuela “almost constantly,” reports say, as Washington increases pressure on Caracas under the guise of anti-drug operations.
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A U.S. F-35 fighter jet conducts aerial maneuvers after departing José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 (AP)
US military aircraft have been flying “almost constantly” in international airspace near Venezuela, as Washington increases pressure on Caracas under the pretext of anti-narcotics operations, The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing an unnamed US official.
The ongoing patrols are part of a broader show of force accompanying the United States’ expanded military presence in the Caribbean in recent months, the report said.
Commercial flights resume over Venezuela
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump called on commercial airlines to consider the airspace above and around Venezuela as closed, a directive issued without any formal explanation or legal basis.
However, commercial flights to Caracas remained on schedule Saturday despite Trump's unilateral call for airspace restrictions over Venezuela.
Data from multiple airlines and international airports confirmed that several commercial carriers continued service to Caracas airport, disregarding Trump’s demand that the airspace above Venezuela be treated as closed.
Trump's statement follows his remarks two days earlier, on November 27, when he warned that US operations against alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking "by land" would begin very soon.
Washington's growing meddling
This latest episode comes in the context of heightened US interference in Latin America, with Trump's Venezuela strategy seen as a mix of economic coercion, disinformation, and military posturing.
Amid increasing military activity and rhetoric, President Trump has publicly stated that Washington has no plans for war with Caracas. However, in early November, he claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s days in power were “numbered,” adding to speculation over regime change ambitions under the guise of anti-drug operations.
Analysts say this dual-track messaging reflects long-standing US regime change policy toward Venezuela, with the military presence in the Caribbean serving as both pressure and provocation.
Read more: From restraint to regime change? Trump’s Venezuela stance under fire
