The likelihood of a U.S. military attack on Venezuela has increased
The possibility of a U.S. military strike against Venezuela is rising. Reports indicate that the map of potential targets inside Venezuela includes air bases, defense systems, and the country’s key command centers.
Well-informed sources have stated that in recent days senior U.S. officials have held closed-door meetings to discuss various military scenarios against Venezuela. According to The Washington Post, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegst and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Keen went to the White House on Friday for the second consecutive day to discuss this issue. At the same time, U.S. forces stationed in the region have been placed on alert.
One U.S. official said that a set of “multiple options” has been presented to the President, and Donald Trump, by employing “strategic ambiguity,” seeks to keep America’s next move unclear to its adversaries. Sources emphasized that the United States is fully aware of Venezuela’s internal developments and the concerns surrounding Nicolás Maduro. According to these sources, the options on the table are considered highly dangerous for Maduro’s government.
Fighter pilots stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford are examining Venezuela’s air defense systems, although no attack order has yet been issued. In response, Venezuela’s Ministry of Defense announced that about 200,000 ground, air, and naval forces have been mobilized to defend the country. Reports from Washington also suggest that the likelihood of deploying the special unit Delta Force has increased; a unit that has played a major role in capture and elimination missions during U.S. wars in the Middle East.
In recent weeks, the U.S. President and his senior advisers have sent contradictory messages regarding the government’s intentions. Trump has repeatedly emphasized expanding the scope of operations into Venezuelan territory.
The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warning of the dangerous consequences of escalating U.S. military activity in the Caribbean and Latin America, called for respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ismail Baghai described the threat of using force against Venezuela’s legitimate government as a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, and referring to international reports about U.S. attacks on fishing boats, stressed the need to stop exploiting the issue of combating drug trafficking as a pretext for violating Venezuela’s sovereignty.
He also reminded the United Nations and its Secretary-General of their responsibility to prevent breaches of international peace and security and to counter U.S. unilateralism.
